The Dragon's Lament
by RomanticlyXTragic
Summary: With a sudden Death eater attack on the Weasley house, Charlie finds himself and Hermione living together. Will they realize what's in front of them before its to late? Or will fate tear them apart as time runs out? FINISHED
1. Of course dear brother

**A/N: This is my first ****fanfic**** in Charlie's ****POV,**** and I dedicate it all to my best friend Gina for first giving me the idea and second helping me write it. ****Now on to the story.**

**Chapter 1: Of course bear brother.**

Hi, my name's Charlie Weasley. I'm one of the many older brothers of Ron and Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter's best mate and girlfriend, and Fred and George the famous pranksters. My one and only older brother Bill married a half Veela who was also in the first Triwizard Tournament in almost forever at Hogwarts. My younger brother Percy works at the ministry and will some day be Minister of Magic, but right now he's still the biggest prat I've ever met.

Maybe being the second oldest child started out fun, I had Bill after all to look up to. But then Percy came and I was even happier, I wasn't the baby of the family anymore, after all. A short year later Fred and George appeared, the house has been filled with chaos ever since, then Ron, then Ginny.

Ginny is the first woman to be born a Weasley in centuries, my family is very protective of her, and Harry James Potter better watch where he rests his hands if he knows what's good for him. Ginny in taking after my mum in many ways, she has a fiery temper that I don't ever want to be on the receiving end of, and I tame dragons for a living!

Yes, I was getting to that part. I live in Romania on a dragon reserve and that's what I do for a living. The other people on the reserve and I love the animals and try to keep them hidden from the muggles as best as possible, I can't tell you how many burns I have on my body from the fierce creatures. Maybe that's because in the summer we all work without shirts on…so we get nice and tanned and burned if we're not careful.

Back to my childhood, after the twins were born Bill and I started keeping to ourselves more. He got older and went to Hogwarts eventually, leaving me with my bookworm brother and two havoc wreaking children. A few years later I got my acceptance letter to Hogwarts, ecstatic as I was, it wasn't everything for me. I took the essential classes and decided to take Care of Magical Creatures for my last four years. Bill was busy having girls follow him around to notice me anymore, so I did my studies and made a few friends, none of which I kept in touch with after school. Percy soon joined the Weasley ranks at school, and would always scurry off to his dorm to study or do homework. As I got older Bill realized how he had neglected me, his last year he made more time for our brotherly time and we became really close. Eventually he left, and I had girls following me to class instead of him. I had started getting stronger, and though I wasn't as tall as Bill, I was just as good looking, just as strong, and just as carefree.

After I left school I worked in the Magical Menagerie but decided it was too calm for me, after scouting around I learned about my new home. Romania. Mum cried when I told her about it, but Bill gave me a hug and told me not to get fried to a crisp. He told me he didn't like having dust in his room and my ashes wouldn't be a nice addition for him. So off I went, with a sack full of clothes, a bit of money, and a full life ahead of me.

A few years later Ron started writing to me about what home was like after I left, he told me all about Hogwarts and how he met Harry Potter himself. He told me about the Philosopher's Stone and how he and Harry, and his future best friend Hermione Granger went to make sure it never got to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Needless to say, I had never been more proud of him.

He sent me copies of the three of them, the Golden trio they were called, with lengthy letters describing their latest adventures. I kept all the letters and to this day they are kept in a show box in my dresser. Around Christmas time the next year I returned to the Burrow to find the house more cluttered then I remembered.

Bill, the twins, Ron, Ginny, mum; dad, Harry, and Hermione were all there for two weeks. Bill and I were sharing a room again, just like when we were growing up. Nostalgia kicked in while I made my way up the lopsided steps.

"Charlie, can I talk to you for a minute?" Ron asked me the night I got home. I had been reading a book on the couch, everyone else had gone to bed.

"Sure thing little bro," I replied putting the book to the side. "What's on your mind?"

"It's about Hermione." He started, the hem of my shirt got increasingly interesting. "I really like her, but I don't know how to tell her, and I don't even know if she likes me back." Just then an explosion sounded from outside followed by screaming. Female screaming. I ran as fast as I could to make sure everyone was alright, outside Hermione and Ginny were sitting on the porch a firework flying around their bodies. Fred and George were dead when I got back inside.

After freezing the firework in place and watching it fall to the ground, I ran to the girls who instantly clung to my arms looking for safety."

"It's fine now, the twins will be getting a mouth full from mum and I later. It's not going to happen again." I stroked both their backs in comfort, then hoisted them over my shoulders, the giggling and yells of disapproval sound as Ginny hit my back. Entering the house Mum was in fact red in the face from yelling, I snuck the girls upstairs to the room they were sharing.

"Thanks for saving us Charlie." Ginny said yawning and promptly snuggling into her bed.

"Are you alright Hermione?" I asked before I left.

"Yes, but do you think I could talk to you about….something?" the hem of her shirt was interesting too!

"Of course, do you want to go to the sitting room or back out to the porch?"

"The porch sounds fine." We made our way outside; I knew this had something to do with Ron, she was either asking my advice for how to get him to like her, or how to repel him. "See, I know Ron likes me-"

"-and you don't like him in that way and don't know how to tell him?" I finished for her. I'm usually correct with these things.

Sighing she replied. "Yes, I just don't know how I could date him when he's come to be like my brother!" She huffed and looked towards our pond.

"In my experience, when you're dealing with Ron telling him straight out is the best way to go." I said looking up at the half-moon.

"What's the best way to do?" a voice said from the door-way. Of course Ron had to make an appearance _now_.

"I'll leave." I whispered to Hermione, she nodded her thanks and I made my way inside, past a confused Ron. My room looked directly over the porch, so I ran upstairs and surveyed the exchange where no one could see me.

"You know, if you keep spying on her like that she's going to hex your bits off." Bill had come into the room and looked over my shoulder at my youngest brother and his friend. "Plus, Ronnikens might not like it too much."

"Too bad she doesn't like Ron." I retorted. "So it doesn't matter if he doesn't like it or not."

Bill stopped midway to his bed. "Did you just admit that you have feeling for her?"

"Of course not Bill, don't be stupid. She's too young for me right now, not even out of school and I've been working in Romania for the past three years."

"Doesn't mean you don't have feeling about her."

"Maybe I care about her the same way I care about Ginny. Does that satisfy you?" I snapped stripping down into my boxers and getting into bed.

"Of course my dear brother, of course."


	2. As Long As We're Being Honest

Chapter 2: As Long As We're Being Honest The next morning I awoke before dawn, Bill was snoring loudly as usual and no one else was awake. I got dressed and tiptoed out of the house, apparating to the Leaky Cauldron, which was already bustling with many people. Making my way into Diagon Alley, I found the shop I had

been looking for.

"Welcome to Muggle Mysteries Made Magic," the young woman behind the counter said. "What can I help you with?" Taking her first glance at me, a smile erupted across her face.

"I want a tattoo, do you have any examples I could look at? I grasped the edge of the counter as she retrieved the book.

"What exactly are you looking for?" she inquired, already flipping through the pages.

"A common Welsh Green breathing fire," I absent mindedly answered drumming my fingers on the counter.

"Where would you like it?"

"Across my back, starting at the hip and the flames coming over my shoulder," I said motioning exactly what I said. I had thought about this all morning.

"What color do you want it to be?"

_Blue. A Common Welsh _**Green**_ wasn't any other color_, I thought to myself. "A light green," I answered politely. "Can you do it?"

"I believe so." Another woman entered the shop and stepped behind the counter. "Anne, do you think you can tattoo a Common Welsh Green across his back."

"Of course I can," the woman called Anne answered back, turning to look at me. "Let me guess, it would only be Charlie Weasley asking for such a thing."

"Anne Walsh," I smiled using my famous charm. "How've you been?"

She rolled her eyes at me. "Let's get this piece of art started and then I'll fill you in." She led me to the back where a chair sat. I was told to straddle it and keep still at all costs.

"I've been fine, since we left school I apprenticed with a muggle tattoo artist. Figured wizards would pay a lot for something like this," she started, telling me about her life past school.

"Speaking of price…" she held up her hand to stop me.

"Don't worry about it Char, I don't charge old friends of mine for something like this." I made a mental note to slip the other girl some money.

Close to two and a half hours later, I was delicately pulling my shirt back over my head cursing how much pain I was in.

"There ya go Char, it'll be sore for a day or two," she smiled handing me a white tube. "Rub this on it before bed every night for a week. It'll keep all the infection out."

"Thanks," I called over my shoulder. "I'll drop by before I leave for Romania!" and with that I was gone, off toward Weasley Wizard Wheezes.

The newly opened shop was full of school aged children, mischievous grins fixated as they left the store with their purchases.

"Charles!" George yelled from the register.

"And to what do we owe this visit?" Fred asked joining his twin.

"What, am I not allowed to visit my favorite younger brothers without an ultimatum?"

"Well-"

"You could-"

"But we wouldn't believe you."

The twins fixated their gaze on Charlie. "Ok, I was down the way, just thought I'd see how rich you guys were getting," I sighed holding up my hands in mock defeat.

"What's that in your hand?" Fred asked. I instantly turned red knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"It looks like that stuff Anne gives you after she works on you." George added with an already knowing smile. "Verity, be a dear and watch the register for us."

I was pulled over the counter top and led upstairs into the flat above the shop.

"Where-"

"-and what-"

"Is it?" Sighing, I pulled off my shirt and showed them my skin's new addition.

"Now let me see yours." I crossed my arms as they followed my example and pulled their shirts off. Three purple W's were written across their backs as well as two crossed beater bats and a bludger, the beaters symbol.

"Nice," throwing my shirt back on. "Well, you two are the only ones who know about this and I'd rather it stay that way." Saluting at me, I continued. "I'm using your fireplace and leaving now." I flooed back to the Burrow, where mum was busily cooking breakfast.

"There you are Charlie, Bill said you weren't in your bed this morning when he woke up."

"I went to Diagon Alley for a bit, and visited the twins." When I sat down a plate of steaming food was in front of me. Tucking in, Ginny and Hermione proceeded to walk into the room and sit down, Ginny on my right and Hermione across from her.

"Morning Girls," I greeted.

"What's this Char?" Ginny poked my shoulder where the flames met the end of my sleeve. After inspecting what it was her face was written with shock. "Oh,"

"Is something the matter?" mum called after Ginny pulled me out of the kitchen with a curious Hermione following.

"Let me see it." My sister demanded.

"I wanna see too," Hermione chimed in nibbling her toast as I blushed a bit, thankfully she didn't notice.

"Not here," Ginny whispered as she started to push me up the steps (which hurt) and closed her bedroom door. Sighing in defeat, I took my shirt off for the third time that morning.

"Charlie, it's beautiful." Gin breathed.

"Where's your ointment?" Hermione asked.

"How do you know about it?" I raised an eyebrow at the Girl-Who-Constantly- Got-Prettier.

"Oh, uh….well….." she stammered. "As long as we're being honest…" following my example and lifting her night shirt over her head she raised her left arm. From her hip to armpit there was the most exquisite phoenix I had ever seen tattooed into her skin with purple and green plumage. I however ignored the fact that she was now clad only in her shorts and bra. Oh how I wanted…

I quickly diverted my attention away from Hermione. "Ginevra…" I accused.

"I don't have one…yet." Shortly after a knock sounded followed by mum entering the room which made Hermione and I dive for our shirts as Ginny screeched about knocking and waiting for an answer. An angry Molly Weasley entered the room as I threw my shirt on haphazardly, Hermione red in the face with embarrassment.

"Would you mind telling me why you had your shirt off?" by now, of course, most of my siblings had gathered in the hallway.

"I was showing the girls my newest burn on my back, it's a guy thing mum, gotta show your younger sister and her friends how dangerous you can be." The lie came easily as I winked to my sister.

"Well, let's see it then. I want to be reminded of how stupid your job is compared to the ones I told you to get."

"NO!" the three of us yelled.

"You'll make me leave the reserve, and even if I refuse, you'll refuse to make me an adequate dinner." At that particular point Fred decided to apparate into the middle of the room, not noticing our mother.

"You forgot this in our flat, figured you might want it for later." A tube of light blue substance was placed in my hand.

"Nice to see you too, Fred."


	3. Welcome to Romania

**A/N: YAY! So this is chapter 3 (written by Gina), really hope you guys like it. Have a Happy Christmas!**

**Chapter 3: Welcome to Romania **

It's been two weeks since the tattoo "incident." Thanks to Fred I had some explaining to do. Thankfully I managed to slither my way out and lie. Don't ask me how I did it, because at this very moment I'm still not sure exactly how I did it. I woke up this morning to hear the sound of rain pelting my window… again. It had been raining almost everyday for the past week and everyone's mood showed it. That morning as I walked down the stairs I found everyone in the house splayed across the house with vacant expressions on their faces, almost as if they had been stunned. Something needed to be done. I bounded back up the stairs and came back down with my broomstick in hand.

"C'mon guys lets go play quidditch," I said jumping the last 3 steps. Everyone looked up at me as if I was crazy. It was still raining out, but I thought it would be a good idea anyway. "Grab your broomsticks and let's get out of this house. We've been cooped up in here for days."

"But it's still raining out, you're going to get sick." Hermione stated matter of factly, her nose plastered into a book.

"So what…," George boasted, bounding into the room, broomstick ready.

"If we do?" chimed in Fred, standing beside him.

Placing her book on the couch, Hermione glared at the twins. "Well if you two get sick don't come complaining to me."

"Aww c'mon Hermione have a little fun," Ron prodded joining his brothers. They all stared at her from the kitchen ready to go, almost too calm for her.

Hermione stood up from the couch, hands on her hips, imitating Molly to the tee. "Ronald Weasley, what is….. GOING ON?" She demanded, screaming the last part as she was suddenly thrown over someone's shoulder.

"Hiya Hermione," I teased before getting smacked in the back of the head. "Hey that hurt."

She squirmed in my arms flailing body parts everywhere before giving up. "Well you deserved it," she sighed, resting her elbow on my shoulder. Chuckling to myself, I grabbed my broomstick and started heading outside, Hermione still on my shoulder. "Where are we going?"

I looked over my shoulder, "Outside of course."

"Why?" she squeaked.

"To play quidditch of course," Fred joined in, ducking another attempt at the decapitation of his head. He chuckled before whispering, "Thank god she doesn't have her wand with her."

"I heard that," she yelled back, her head nearly missing the doorway. "Hey, Charlie watch where you're going!"

I only laughed in response noticing how cute she was when she got angry, and continued walking down to our own quidditch field. The rain was still coming down, as Ginny and Harry joined us, probably after finishing a snogging session on our back porch. How do I know that? Let's just say I have experience. Plus there's no windows overlooking that area.

"What are we doing?" Harry asked, striding along side us. "And what may I ask are you two doing?"

"Were taking a stroll Harry," Hermione said pointing to the area around her. "Isn't a lovely day for it?"

"What's got her knickers in a twist?" asked Ron chuckling as she made a reach for him.

We made it to the quidditch pitch after only a few more minutes despite the fact that the rain had picked up slightly. Mounting our brooms, Hermione on mine we took off into the air and played a few rounds. It was me, Hermione, Ron, and Fred on one team, and Harry, George, and Ginny on the other. I would say it was evenly matched.

"Well that was worse than what I expected," Hermione smiled through the rain, as laughter echoed around her. "What?" she laughed noticing my staring at her. Her hair hung in disarray around her, clinging to her shoulders.

"Nothing," I said seemingly, thinking to myself that she looked so beautiful at that moment.

"But we won," Ron gloated throwing his arms up in triumph, before taking off down the trail.

"No you didn't, Ron," Ginny yelled back chasing after him.

The group scattered down the hill, laughing as they watched brother and sister dodge each other, leaving Hermione and myself alone. We walked in silence for a few minutes, taking in the surrounding atmosphere. It was quiet… a little too quiet.

"Charlie when are you going back to Romania?" Hermione asked breaking the silence. She looked towards me.

"Two weeks. Why?"

Her face fell. "No reason, just wondering."

"Oh," I sighed a little disappointed. She turned away from me, returning back to our silence. "Hermione…

A scream echoed in the distance. _'Shit.'_ I heard Hermione gasp next to me, before saying calmly, "Charlie they're here."

I turned toward Hermione, "Stay here."

"Are you kidding Charlie? I'm a big girl I can fight, I can hold my own I… what's this?"

"It's a portkey, use it, and follow the plan," I ordered backing away from her.

"Charlie I'm not leaving you or anyone else…"

"HERMIONE DO IT! YOU HAVE TO!" I yelled running down the path toward the danger.

A tear slid down Hermione's cheek as she watched his back disappear into the house. There was always that small possibility that she wouldn't see him ever again. _'Damn it Hermione move, do something other than just stand here and feel sorry for yourself.' _She watched from that hill as the Order started arriving and disappearing into the house, colors erupted through the windows. She knew everyone she loved was in there. She couldn't just leave them.

Wand in hand, she ran down the path and toward the house despite Charlie's wishes. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" a voice snarled, blocking her path.

"Get out of my way Lucius," she demanded.

"No, I don't think…"

"Sectumsempra," Hermione screamed as red light shot out of her wand catching Lucius off guard.

"You bitch," he spat wiping the blood from his mouth, picking himself up from the ground.

"Get out of my way now," she threatened venomously. She heard a noise behind her almost as if someone had just…

"Need some help Lucius?" MacNair laughed

… apparated. She gripped his arm as it coiled itself around her neck. "Let me go," she gasped clinging onto consciousness, as the oxygen was slowly diminishing.

"No," he whispered in her ear.

"Let her go!" a voice proclaimed approaching the scene.

"Look who it is, Charlie Weasley, how nice to see you." Lucius sneered wand pointed at his chest.

"Sorry can't say the same for you Lucius," I said before firing spells at them. MacNair flung Hermione down on the ground joining Lucius, ganging up on me. Gasping for air I watched as Hermione wrapped her hands around her neck, her consciousness slowly coming back to her.

"HERMIONE GET OUT OF HERE!" I cried desperately.

She looked into my eyes, sensing that she would be no help here, only a distraction. Grabbing the portkey she activated it and was off. I sighed to myself knowing she was safe and I would somehow, sometime rejoin her.

Hermione landed in a heap on the ground silent tears running down her face. The sun shone brightly here, symbolizing a new day. However, she was still stuck in the past. Picking herself off the ground, she wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Welcome to Romania, Hermione."


	4. The Safe House

**Chapter 4: The Safe House**

Once Hermione was gone, everything took a turn for the worst. We quickly became outnumbered in a matter or seconds. I never thought it would come to our family actually splitting up. Quickly disposing of another death eater, I turned around trying to find the other members of my family. It seemed the only 2 members that had not apparated out of here were Fred and George. Big surprise there. However from far away it looked as though they were just having fun. Almost as if the scene was something from a memory. But laughing was the last thing I felt like doing as the number of death eaters kept growing. "Fred, George," I yelled through the mayhem around me, "get out of here, now." Barely hearing me, they nodded their heads and were gone. Now all I had to do was get out of here.

A beautiful young woman stood behind Hermione as she picked herself up off the ground, before swiftly turning around, wand in hand. "Who are you, and how do you know my name?"

The woman's soft smile and long blonde hair blowing in the wind calmed Hermione down somewhat enough to lower her wand. "I'm Leanne, Charlie's roommate. We work together here at the dragon reserve." Realization dawned upon Hermione's face, and it must have showed as laughter echoed around them. "And in answer to your other question, everyone knows your name here Hermione, were all apart of the Order. But the question is why you are here?"

Hermione placed her wand back in her pocket before answering, "The Death eaters attacked the Weasley house. They showed up out of nowhere and Charlie sent me here."

The woman looked around anxiously. "Were you followed?" Her tone took on a deadly seriousness note.

"No," Hermione answered confidently. "But what about the Weasley family? What's happened to them?"

"Come with me," the woman in question ordered turning back down the hill, before Hermione could ask any more questions.

"Why what for? I need to go back. Don't you understand?" Hermione continued to yell at the girl. But to no avail she continued walking down the hill, pretending as if someone wasn't yelling at her. Come back here!" Hermione threw her hands up in defeat. "Ugh!" Huffing she followed the woman down the hill and into the dragon camp. "Where are we going?"

Without turning her back Leanne answered, "To the safe house of course."

"The safe house? Am I in danger?"

"You might be. But we need to make sure you are safe at all costs."

Hermione sighed. "You know I'm not some porcelain doll that you have to protect. I can take care of myself."

"Not according to Charlie," she teased receiving a mumble that sounded a lot like asshole. "Plus I'm under strict orders. So until we get the okay you're stuck here," she smiled happily.

"Yipee," Hermione replied sarcastically.

_'This is all so childish. Why on Earth do I need to stay here?'_ Hermione thought disgustedly stepping inside the safe house. "Now I know how Harry feels," she mumbled.

The interior of the house reminded her of Grimmauld place, but it was a lot newer and cleaner… definitely cleaner. However, the house was just as busy. People were coming and going through the doors talking in hushed whispers. The staircase to her left was adorned with many pictures and the banister was carved with intricate woodwork.

Leanne stood right next to Hermione watching her reaction. "Dan," Leanne called, through the hustle and bustle. A man about 20 appeared in the doorway to Hermione's left, startling her. The man chuckled. He had auburn hair, and brown eyes, that would melt anyone who stared at them to long.

"What do you want now Leanne?" His tone was serious, but his lips turning up at the edges gave him away.

She crossed her arms across her chest, rolling her eyes. "I need you to show Hermione around and then to her room. Do you think you can do that without destroying anything?"

Dan walked toward the two women, limping and grabbing his heart. "That hurt Leanne." Hermione laughed.

Leanne threw a menacing look towards Dan. "Just do it."

"Fine, I'll show this beautiful young woman to her room," he smiled, bringing Hermione's hand to his lips and kissing it lightly, making her blush. Looking around, Hermione found Leanne to have disappeared.

"Where did Leanne go?" Hermione asked curiously.

Dan shrugged. "Who knows? Now let's tour the house Dan style." Hermione couldn't help but laugh and follow him. The house actually turned out to be gorgeous. The kitchen was almost as big as her house. "Now this is the living room, where we live, this is also where someone's penis got cut off. Don't ask me how it happened, but they… eventually got it fixed." Dan continued throughout the house giving many interesting comments, taking Hermione's mind off of what was happening. "And this is your room," he finished directing Hermione to a door to her right. "It's right across from Charlie's room, just in case you need anything," he winked.

Hermione blushed. "Does everything you say have a double meaning?" This caused Dan to smile before opening the door. Hermione gasped. The room was gorgeous. It was of a deep blue and chestnut woodwork. The bed was in a deep blue duvet, with silk blue sheets, and blue walls, and when you looked up the ceiling was bewitched to look like the night sky. "It's gorgeous," Hermione breathed sitting on the bed.

"Thought you would like it, "Dan smirked cockily.

"One question though," Hermione paused. "Where are my clothes?"

"They're being sent over as we speak." Hermione nodded. She looked up at Dan who was standing casually in the doorway, hands in his pockets. There was something about him that she liked but she couldn't put her finger on it. However, at that moment both Hermione and Dan heard a lot of commotion and yelling downstairs and dashed to go look.

"I'm fine, really." They heard someone yelling.

"Charlie," Hermione whispered, before running down the stairs. Relief flowed through her, he was alright. He was surrounded by tons of people. "Charlie," Hermione yelled running into his arms.

"Hermione," I whispered in her air, hugging her close to me. She was silent as she clung to me. "It's alright Hermione," I reassured placing her down on the ground, "I'm fine. Everyone got away safe. I'm not sure if the house is okay," I joked trying to lighten the mood.

"That's not funny Charlie," she admonished me. "I was worried sick about you."

I nodded. "I know…" I tried to say something else but I was interrupted by Hermione's gasp. "What?" I asked.

"Your hurt."

"It's just a scratch. I swear." I said throwing my hands in the air.

Let's just say I lost the argument. Later that night I was still getting assaulted by Hermione. She wouldn't leave me alone till she knew every part of me was okay. I told her I was fine over and over again but she didn't listen. She was as stubborn as my mom at times. I shuddered. Another Molly, now that's a nightmare.

"Are you cold?" I heard Hermione ask from the doorway.

"No Hermione," I rolled my eyes. "I'm fine I told you a million times you can go to bed."

She huffed. "Fine if you didn't want my help you could have just said so."

"Hermione I didn't mean it like that." But before I could finish she slammed the door behind her, and then her door. I sighed. Women. They always jumped to conclusions before you could explain. I smiled to myself as I climbed into bed and 5 minutes later I was asleep.

I rolled over after what seemed only 5 minutes of sleep and looked at my clock, midnight. My stomach growled causing me to laugh. It seemed to me that I was always hungry. Putting on a pair of pajama pants, I rolled out of bed and crept down the stairs to the kitchen hoping to find something edible to eat. I stopped in my tracks as I heard something crash in the kitchen followed by a number of curses. My wand was in my hand now as I slowly approached the door. I slowly pressed the door open and widened my eyes as I saw Hermione at the kitchen table head in her hands a cup of coffee sitting next to her.

"Couldn't sleep?" I asked stepping through the door.

She jumped almost spilling her coffee, her hand on her heart. "You startled me. What are you doing up?"

I smiled as my stomach growled again making her laugh. "I was hungry."

"I can tell. Do you want me to make you something?" she asked me.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Sure." She nodded her head before going about the kitchen. It looked as if I was getting a sandwich. "So you never answered me." I paused before continuing. "What are you doing up?"

She paused in her doings. "Couldn't sleep," she muttered.

"Is that it?" I pried.

She braced her hands against the countertop. "The nightmares are getting worse," she whispered. This startled me I didn't think she would open up this easily.

I walked over and stood behind her. "Hermione," I started whispering, "its okay you can tell me anything." She turned around, suddenly facing me. She was so close. She looked into my eyes.

"I wish I could tell you, but I just can't Charlie, at least not yet." I nodded fully understanding.

I took a step closer to her, placing her face in the palm of my hands. "There's nothing to worry about."

"How do you know?" her breath floated like feathers onto my face.

"I just do." I saw her eyes move toward my lips. It was now or never. I leaned down…

"Charlie," she said startled.

"What is it?" I asked kind of annoyed.

She pointed to something behind me. "Look, it's a patronus."

And right she was. Behind me floated a beaver patronus, it was from my dad. Either he had news or something had happened.

A/N: Yay for Gina getting the chapter done! Happy New Year from both of us!


	5. The Trip, The Slip, and the Fall

**A/N: So yeah, here's chapter 5!**

**Chapter 5: The Trip, The Slip, and The Fall**

"Ginny's in St. Mungo's, the house and the rest of the family are fine. A portkey is being set up for tomorrow morning at 9, make sure you're ready." Hermione silently fled the room as I stood there in shock. My baby sister was hurt because of those bastards and their snake lord.

Right now, all I wanted was a strong drink. I knew there was a bottle of firewhiskey in my trunk, maybe one glass wouldn't hurt. But when I walked into my room I found a sleeping Hermione in the center of my bed.

Smiling, I picked her up carefully, padded across the hall, and successfully tucked her into her bed. When I got back to my room my bed was sending out major sleep waves, the drink would have to wait. So I snuggled into the spot where my mattress was warm and smelled lightly of vanilla and raspberries.

_So this is what Hermione smells like_. Was my last conscious thought.

When I woke up, I remembered everything from the night before…we had to leave at 9 this morning. Only an hour and a half from now, so I guess a shower would be in order, as well as making sure Hermione was awake.

I quickly left my room, padding down the hallway into the bathroom. I hadn't realized how tense my shoulders were until the hot water had hit them making my movements loose after a few minutes, nor had a realized how dirty my clothes were until I saw them laying on the bathroom floor. Of course all my clean clothes were in my room, and of course my wand was in said room.

I practically ran down the hall, water still running down my back across my tattoo, in the fluffy white bath towel.

"Charlie?" a timid voice came from behind me as I reached my door. "Is that you?"

"Yeah, is everything alright?" I turned around to see Hermione witha pink tinge in her cheeks already. The pink turned to red, however, when she saw what five years of quidditch and working with dragons everyday can do to a man's body.

"Oh, uhm, no everything's fine. I just didn't know if that was you or someone else." She stuttered trying not to stare.

"How many good looking red heads am I sharing a room with then?" she giggled as I said this. "Anyway, we'll be leaving soon so I suggest that we both get dressed in suitable clothes."

"Oh, but Charlie we women here at the reserve love to see you in the nude." Leanne and a few other women walked past giggling and not even once looking in Hermione's direction. But as I looked, I saw jealousy and a flash of hurt.

"Hermione-" I followed her into her room. "Don't mind Leanne, she's like that with everyone."

"Who said I minded her Charlie?" It was like her personalityhad somehowjust changed right before his eyes. Hermione decided to voluntarily change her shirt with Charlie in the room, granted her back was to him at all times.

"Whoa, how may I ask, did this all come about?" the unmistakable voice of Dan whistled. He was standing casuallyin the door frame. "Charlie Weasley in a towel and Hermione Granger with her shirt and bra off, it's an interesting scene to walk in on don't you think?."

"Can we help you Dan?" Hermione asked after she had a proper shirt on.

"Well, I was just wondering if you'd like a tour around the reserve today Hermione. I'm sure Char here hasn't offered to give you one yet and just thought maybe you'd like to see what we're so passionate about here." He had the audacity to wink at her.

She glanced at me before answering. "We're going to London for a bit, but when we get back I'd love to take a tour." Dan smiled and left, then I walked to my room andput someproper clothes on.

A navy long sleeve shirt and a pair of worn in jeans were all I wore. I figuredeven if I got hot I could push my sleeves upandmum still wouldn't be able to see the dragon. I've already gotten out of a tight spot and lied a bit to keep her from knowing I didn't need her prying again.

At nine o'clock Leanne handed us an old soda can and activated it. In a few seconds we were in the lobby of St. Mungo's, the wizarding world's most busy hospital.

"We're here to see Ginevera Weasley," I told the receptionist who gave us complicated directions. I figured Hermione would know where to go seeing how many times she's been here.

"Oh, Charlie, Hermione you're here!" My mum grabbed us both into a big hug. This was where she hated being, especially when her baby girl is the patient. "Ginny's on a sleeping draught but it should wear off in about 10 minutes the healer said. She'll be so happy to see you both."

Hermione went around hugging everyone as I talked to Bill.

"Everything going alright?" he asked me.

"Yeah, just trying to keep Hermione away from Dan, unfortunately he's showing her around the reserve when we get back." I crossed my arms, burns and scars showing off my tan skin. If I didn't have red hair and the infamous Weasley attitude then people wouldn't even think I was related to my family. They all have fair skin with too many freckles and many of them are too tall and skinny. I'm tan, shorter than the rest, broader, and I only have a few freckles.

"Ah, Dan, he really is a pervy guy. Even I say keep her away from him."

"What are you guys talking about?" Hermione asked as she came over.

"People at the reserve," I answered praying that for once she wouldn't ask any follow up questions. Oh how wrong I was.

"Which people?"

"Just people I work with."

"Do you like them?"

"Not really,"

"So why are you talking about them?" I looked at her dumbfounded.

"What do you mean?"

"Well," this was going to be a long explanation, I could feel it. "If you talk about this person you're thinking about them, so even if you're saying how much you don't like them you're still recognizing the fact that they get on your nerves."

Thank god Bill stepped forward. "Hermione, I have been to visit Charlie many times in Romania, I know a lot of the people he works with, trust me when I say that a lot of them aren't worth talking to."

"This is about Dan isn't it?" My shoes became very interesting. "Charlie, why can't you just let me do what I want with my life? Just because you're watching over me or whatever you're doing doesn't mean I can't have a good time with other people."

"Hermione, it isn't his fault, I'm worried about this too. Dan is a sleaze; he flirts with all the new girls, beds them, and then never talks to them again. He's only being nice to you so he can put another notch on his broomstick." Oh Bill, the ever calm big brother.

"Thank you for your concern Bill, but I think I can take care of myself."

"You're only 17!" I blurted out, alerting my entire family that we were having a quarrel.

"And that is of age, so thank you, but stop trying to save me." The healer opened the door and Hermione briskly walked into Ginny's room. _This is going to be tougher than I thought_.

**A/N Yay!**** Ok, I really hope you liked it. Chapter 6 coming up soon prepare for that one.**


	6. The Pickup

**A/N: My muse has returned. Cheers.**

**Chapter 6: ****The Pickup**

As Hermione walked away Bill rested a hand on my shoulder. "She'll realize soon enough that you were only trying to b a good friend Char."

"Yeah, I mean she gets so stubborn sometimes even we can't persuade her to see what's going on." Ron pointed his thumb at the door. "So where have you guys gone? Romania I bet,"

"Ron you know he can't tell you that even if it was true." Harry interjected. "Anyway, Charlie, I think you should just explain why you're acting this way to Hermione, if you don't she's going to ignore you for however long it takes her to realize it herself."

"You're right; I'll talk to her as soon as I can get her alone." The white hallway was reflecting the sunlight coming from windows and the lights above us.

"Why don't you just go in there now and try to comfort her, maybe mum or dad will get the idea and make a suave attempt at leaving the room without ruining the mood simultaneously." Bill said in a sad excuse for a whisper all the while pushing me into the room. It had the rays of sun coming through the window resting half way across the room, Ginny resting in her bed the only one occupied in the room.

_Damn, stupid, annoying, __meddling__ family of mine_. I thought as I noticed my dad whisper to my crying mum, something about getting some tea to calm down. It was all a ploy to get me in the same room as her!

"Er, Hermione, I just wanted to say-"

"I forgive you," she answered quickly not taking her eyes off of Ginny's resting body. "And I also apologize, it's just hard controlling my emotions when the woman I want to be my maid of honor is laying in the hospital unresponsive. I can't imagine if she were my sister."

"But she's practically your sister, and that's why I'm trying to protect you. Because you are so important to this family that we would be just as devastated to lose you as we would Ginny, or Harry, maybe not Ron so much, but the first two are a definite." She smiled and I gently took her hand in mine, in a consoling way of course. We both stared at my sister, her pale features seeming even more so, and her red hair fanning out on her pillow, no doubt the healer would do something to keep the knots out of it.

"I'm still going to go around with Dan when we get back." She told me after a pause.

"Ok, Leanne owes me a drink at the pub anyway, so I guess that's where I'll be." I shrugged.

"Charles Weasley I do NOT want to hear any word of you or our dear Hermione drinking!" my mum whisper-yelled walking towards us, and noticing that my thumb was tracing the slightly protruding knuckle bones of Hermione's right hand her eyes softened slightly. "May I talk to you in the hall Charlie?"

"Of course mum," I answered after Hermione had nodded that she was alright. "What's up?" I asked as we were out of ear shot of the rest of my family.

"Why, pray tell, are you in there holding Hermione's hand?" uh oh, her arms were crossed and all her weight shifted to one foot. This was what Bill and I liked to call the 'I'm-Molly-Weasley-and-I'll-beat-you-with-my-rolling-pin-if-you-don't-tell-me-the-truth Stance', The Molly Weasley stance for short.

"She was upset, I just wanted to let her know that I'm here for her." She seemed to buy this even if it wasn't really a lie. "Why is there something wrong with that?" My eyebrow rose.

"You know that I want her and Ron to end up together." The malice in her voice had returned.

"But maybe you shouldn't bank on Ron, I mean, she obviously does not like him and he doesn't like her. You can not just force them together after years of being close and thinking of him as a brother."

"And you think that you'll be her next candidate, is that right?"

"What? No, of course not, why would I think that mum?"

"Is she not pretty enough for you Charlie? Does she not give herself up to easily?" Her hair was starting to get out of control.

"She's definitely pretty, she's beautiful, and just because a girl gives it up easily doesn't mean I take it, mother. I am not a man that does those kinds of things every time the chance had arisen." My face was probably just as red with anger as hers was, and our family was probably watching this all happen with fervor. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go see if she's alright."

As I walked off, I heard Fred and George make a bet or some kind but the only thing I caught was "10 sickles," and "you're on", so I glared at them before reentering the hospital room.

"Everything alright out there, I heard a lot of whispering." She said as I sat next to her.

"Mum and I got in a minor disagreement, it's all fine though."

"What was it about?" her coffee colored eyes pulling me in.

"Well, to be honest, it was about you, but in a good way. She was being all motherly and got mad when I was holding your hand and started to lecture me on how she wants you and Ron to end up together." Her eyes widened.

"And what did you say to that?" It was obvious she was trying to keep her composure.

"I told her not to bank too much on you two as a couple because it's kind of obvious that you don't feel anything for each other, and she's the only one that chooses to ignore it. That's where the disagreeing came in."

"Thanks, I guess, but if that was only the beginning then what did you really disagree about?"

"Leave that for another time love," The clock above the door said it was 10:20.

"Seeing as we only have 10 minutes till our portkey leaves and it'll take us just about that long to say our goodbyes."

Oh how right I was. Nine minutes later she was grabbing hold of the soda can and with one last goodbye we appeared in the safe house common area, where Dan and Leanne were sitting and talking. The common area was a fireplace, a couple coffee tables, chairs, and couches, with a radio by a window.

Upon seeing us Dan had jumped up right away, leading Hermione outside, I took his seat and looked at Leanne.

"Remember that drink you owe me and the Dragon's Nest? I think I'm going to need it,"

"Something bothering you?"

"Just stuff my mum was saying at St. Mungo's, kind of hit home and got me thinking." She was still skeptical. "If you buy first round I'll get the second." She was smiling so broadly I wondered if her teeth were trying to escape.

* * *

"So Hermione," Dan started as they walked toward a pacing female Common Welsh Green, almost exactly like the one on Charlie's back. "How do you know Charlie?"

"I go to school with his younger brother, and I'm always at their home, I think I know all of them pretty well." She walked toward the dragon; its eyes were a caramel color that had her smile despite herself.

"Well then why are you with him?"

"We all got paired off, the twins with each other, Harry and Ron, Bill and Ginny, and their parents, so I guess Charlie and I were together as far as that all goes. I don't remember much about the meeting that told us who was going with who and to where." The dragon looked as though it was winked at her, _It__ was the sun reflecting on it's eyes, a dragon would _not_ wink at me._ She thought while studying the eyes further, without knowing it she had stuck her hand between the bars and pet the dragon's nose. He hummed deeply as if it loved the touch of a human's skin on its scales.

Dan looked about ready to faint. "I have been here ten years, and this dragon has never once let me touch it, let alone go near it."

* * *

Leanne and I were on their way to the bar when she noticed Dan and Hermione by the Common Welsh Green cage. It was my personal favorite dragon seeing as she had an affinity for me and not Dan and always seemed so loving. My jaw was somewhere near my feet when I saw that Hermione was touching the dragon.

"We should go stop her, now." Leanne suggested voicing every one of my thoughts.

Running over the dragon eyes Leanne suspiciously and smiled a most dragonly smile at me.

"Hello Mabli, how are we today? This is Hermione, she's a friend of mine, do you like her?" Mabli nodded to me. "That's good, she's a very nice woman, and I would much appreciate if you didn't do anything to harm her." I winked at the dragon that then looked at Hermione with interest, I looked too.

"How do you know if she's responding?" she asked mystified.

"I just do I suppose, I've been in charge of her for months now and we've gotten a special bond of sorts."

"What does her name mean?" Of course I forgot, Hermione had to know everything. I smiled.

"It's Welsh for 'lovable' the more common form of it we hear is Mabel." I answered still looking at the beautiful dragon. "She was my inspiration for my tattoo, but of course you've already thought of that." I smiled at her at the same time she smiled at me.

_At least she's not hexing my bits off and running away with Dan._


	7. The Decision

**A/N Yay for Gina finishing this chapter! I think it's brilliant, don't you? Review and tell us ;)**

Chapter 7: The Decision

The next morning, before the sun even arose, I made my way down to the dragon reserve for some well deserved solace. I needed to think. Living in that house…with her just complicated so many things for me. It just seemed that at every wrong moment she decided to pop up and make things worse. She decided to make my feelings for her grow even more.

Just the other day I had been in the shower, savoring the warm water flowing down the length of my back, with my head against the shower side. Those minutes where my mind could race wherever it wanted to provided comfort. However, at that moment fate decided to play a joke on me. I had heard the door open, and someone scream. Did I mention the shower was see through? I slowly turned my back around to see who had screamed. Hermione stood there with her clothes in her hand, face turning redder by the second. I watched as her eyes scanned the length of my body before placing her clothes in front of her face as I realized I had developed a "problem." I groaned to myself as I snatched a towel off the rack beside me in a split of a second, before I asked her what she was doing here.

"I thought the shower was free." She plausibly said.

"Well as you can see its not," I smirked. "So why are you still standing here?"

If it was any more possible her face turned an even brighter shade of red. "Umm… I had to get…. To get…

"To get what?" I initiated smiling.

"My tampons," she hurriedly said without thinking, grabbing a few for emphasis. "You know that time of the month."

I could have died right then and there when she said that. "Oh, okay." With that, she then left the bathroom but not without one last glance at my body.

_'If only I had that on tape,'_ I thought to myself returning back to the present. I soon realized I had made it into the dragon reserve and was standing in front of Mabli's cage. "Hey Mabli," I said reaching my hand into her cage and petting her. "I wish you could help me. Things are starting to get so difficult around here, with Hermione and all." With the mention of Hermione's name, she nudged my hand. "Speaking of Hermione," I started my curiosity peaking. She stopped and looked up at me. "You've never let anyone touch you like that but me, why is that?" Mabli turned away from me. She sensed something that I couldn't.

"Charlie," I heard someone behind me call.

I sighed. _'Great Leanne perfect timing.'_

"Charlie, I'm glad I found you, I needed to talk to you about something." I rolled my eyes before turning and facing her.

"What is it Leanne?"

She started to fidget her feet while biting her lips, a habit she used to do when she got nervous. "Well seeing as this is the only time we've been alone and without that Hermione girl…" She said in a disgusted tone.

"You know I have to watch her Leanne," I seethed, my teeth clenching, Mabli sensed my anger and placated herself next to me.

"But you have feelings for her?" she queried looking past me at Mabli.

"I don't have feelings for Hermione," I lied through my teeth, avoiding eye contact with her.

"Well them why don't we give us a shot again…?"

I started walking away from Mali's cage down the trail not believing she just said that to me.

"Charlie…"

"Leanne," I shouted, "I can't do that; go through that with you again. It just can't happen. I can't believe you have the audacity to say that to me."

"You can't honestly tell me that you don't feel anything between us," she whispered. "I feel something, I know you do to," she finished stepping closer to me her breath floating onto mine.

I took a step backward toward the safe house. "Leanne, why are you doing this to yourself?"

She looked up toward the safe house, "Because I want you Charlie. While you were gone this summer, I realized how much I missed you. How much I wanted to be with you. And now that your back…"

"Leanne…

"Charlie please on more chance, that's all I ask" she pleaded and with that she pressed her lips to mine.

Earlier that morning, Hermione had awakened to an insistent tapping on her window. She dragged herself out of bed and semi sleep walked to the window only to open her eyes wide and find Hedwig at her window. Standing on her toes she unlatched the window and let Hedwig fly into her room. She breathed in the air from the reserve as she looked out at Romania, and thought she was lucky to be there. Keeping her window open, she went to her desk and quickly opened the letter from Harry, while absentmindedly petting Hedwig.

_Hermione, I know I'm not supposed to write you, but I had to. Mr. Weasley and I are at headquarters. Ginny's doing better each day and soon will be out of St. Mungo's. Each day I look out my window and find more men in black coats walking down the streets. They're looking for us and it's a matter of time before they find us. People are coming in and out more frequently and holding more and more meetings. We need to do something Hermione. You, me and Ron. We need to do something and soon before anything else happens to people we love. I know were supposed to sit her but I can't. I wrote Ron also, can you apparate to headquarters 2 days from now so we can chat? And figure out something to do? _

- _Harry _

Hermione re read the letter twice before placing it down on her desk. She didn't how to respond to that. She didn't want to do anything that would end up hurting anyone either. Her room suddenly felt very stuffy and she needed air. The air of Romania was calling her.

She rushed to her window and sighed heavily. Everything was just happening so fast. Everything just…

Something caught her attention near the safe house. Grabbing the edge of the window, she watched as Charlie talked to Leanne before he started walking back toward the house. What was being said?

"If only I had an extendable ear or something," she muttered. Her eyes widened as Leanne took a step closer to him, placing her hand on his shoulder. All of sudden a feeling erupted in the pit of her stomach that made her feel sick. But she just couldn't tear her eyes away. Charlie took a step backward and she silently cheered him on. What in Merlin's name was going…

Hermione's eyes narrowed as she watched Leanne make contact with her eyes before kissing Charlie. Her Charlie… wait _her Charlie_? She couldn't believe it. Turning away from the window, she stomped around her room and grabbed a pen and scribbled a note back to Harry, before sending Hedwig on her way. If that's how he wanted to play then fine, she needed to go find someone.


	8. Merry Go Round

**A/N: Yay for Gina finishing Chapter 8! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.**

Chapter 8: Merry Go Round

Dan sat in the kitchen of the safe house, sipping his coffee and reading the Muggle thing they called a newspaper. He had taken a liking to it quite recently. Reading every headline, he absentmindedly took a sip of his coffee. SMASH!

"Shit," he yelled spilling the coffee all over himself. He jumped out of his chair and headed for where the sound had come from. It sounded like it was right outside the safe house. He heard Leanne scream and Charlie yell. What the hell?

Hermione wiped off her hands. That was fun. She had marched into Leanne's room and taken what looked like a very expensive vase and thrown it out her window near them. Served them right. Now she needed to go find Dan.

Hermione walked down the stairs with a certain skip in her step. She first looked in the kitchen for Dan, but he was nowhere to be found. Hearing conversation outside, she made her way outside. She needed to make this convincing. "What happened?" she said pretending to be out of breath.

They all stood around the broken vase. "I don't know," Dan answered pointing to Leanne and Charlie, "Ask them."

"Looks like a vase to me," Hermione stated looking at the broken pieces.

Leanne looked accusingly at Hermione. "Yea, but how did it get here?"

"How should I know?" Hermione shot back glaring at Leanne.

Leanne stepped closer to Hermione. "It's my vase, and you were the only one upstairs."

"Like I'd even want to go near your room," Hermione scoffed.

Dan and I just looked between the two. What was going on? I grabbed Hermione's arm, as Dan grabbed Leanne's arm, as the two reached for their wands.

"Let go of me." They both yelled pulling their arm away before walking in different directions. Leanne headed inside the safe house as Hermione took off into the dragon reserve.

"I'll go after Hermione," I said worriedly.

Dan stopped me, by putting his hand on my arm. "I don't think she wants to talk to you right now Char. I'll go." I watched as Hermione's back retreated, before nodding. I turned around and walked into the house, but not before whispering, "Watch yourself."

Dan laughed before walking in the direction Hermione was heading. He could sense what was bothering her. She was like an open book and Charlie was to dumb to read her. Why couldn't he just see what was in front of him, that idiot.

The pond. That's where she ended up. And that's where he ending up following her. She sat on the edge of the water throwing rocks in. Ripples appeared throughout disturbing the water, and the colorful leaves that floated along the surface.

"Leave me alone," Hermione whispered hearing footsteps behind her. Dan ignored her and sat down beside her. He lay down on his back, placing his hands behind his head. "What are you doing?" Hermione questioned looking down at him.

"Lying beside you. What does it look like I'm doing?" Eyes closed he smiled.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It looks like your bothering me."

"Well if that's what you want to call it…"

"What do you want?" She interrupted, causing him to sit up. His face was mere inches from her. Her breath caught in her throat.

"What I want?" he coaxed placing his hand under his chin… "is for you to tell me what your so upset about."

She pulled her head away from his grasp. "Nothing."

He lay back down on the ground. "Just as I thought."

"Just as you thought what?" Hermione was intrigued. What did he know that maybe necessarily she didn't know? What did he think? Why was it so important that she needed to know what it was? Her head shot back around staring at him, totally forgetting what she wanted to ask him about from before.

"Why does it matter to you?" he asked. "You'll just deny whatever it is I say."

Hermione crossed her arms across her chest, and pouted. "Will not."

"Will to." He laughed. "Here, I'll make you a bet. If you do deny it, you have to go out on a date with me…

"And if I don't deny it?" Hermione asked her interest peaking as her eyebrows rose as if silently saying 'huh, what if I won?'

"Anything you want," he said confidently knowing he would win. He watched as her face registered what he had just said.

Expecting her to say no to the deal, he was surprise when she asked, "Is this just some ploy to get me out on a date with you? Cause if it is…"

"Hermione just answer the damn question," he interrupted. _'I'm trying to help you here, you silly girl, and in turn also helping myself.'_

She held out her hand. "Deal." They shook hands. Silence surrounded them. "So just as you thought what?"

"I can't tell you now. I have to figure out a date plan first of all," he replied cockily, making Hermione scoff.

He stood up. "You have to tell me, now," Hermione whined.

"Ah ah ah," he said wagging his finger for emphasis. "That wasn't apart of the deal." He paused. "But if you do want to know you have to figure out a way to get it out of me." A charming smile appeared across his face, as if saying come and get it.

"I think not." Hermione replied, knowing exactly what he wanted.

"Alright, I guess I'll talk to you later then." Dan walked away leaving Hermione to her thoughts. She looked back out upon the water, wondering what in Merlin's name could he be thinking. And why was a date that important? It was just a harmless date… right? Nothing would happen….hopefully. She brought her legs up and rested her head upon them.

"Why can't I be back at Hogwarts?" she muttered, shaking her head. This wasn't supposed to be this complicated. She silently wished she was in her dorm room studying with all her friends, or going to watch the Quidditch matches. But no she was stuck hiding here with Charlie, when at any moment they could be found.

It was early in the morning and she needed to find something to do. She wasn't quite ready to go back to the house yet. And she wasn't sure if she could face Leanne, Charlie or let alone Dan, that jackass.

Picking herself up off the ground, she took one last look at the pond and took off back through the dragon reserve. Looking off toward the house, she wondered maybe if she could head to Grimmauld place a day early. She needed to see Harry and Ron.

Later that day, she packed her bag cautiously in her room, listening for any footsteps in the hallway. She had to stop and magically shove her backpack somewhere, a few times just to be safe. She didn't need Charlie to find out or he would undoubtedly stop her. Damn him. Just as Hermione finished packing her bag, she opened her door, and looked out into the corridor…nothing. Tap…tap…tap…

"What the hell?" her heartbeat sped up. She looked out her window as an owl sat perched on her windowsill. She ran to her window and opened it up as the owl dropped the letter through the window, before taking off.

Hermione cautiously bent down and picked up the note. It was black with white writing. Huh? She stared at it perplexedly, before opening it up.

_What I believe is that you like Charlie…_

Hermione looked around, "I do not like Charlie." Just at that moment, she heard a voice.

"Guess you owe me that date huh?" A shadow appeared in her doorway.

Hermione ripped up the letter before burning it. "I am not going on a date with you." She turned toward the shadow in her doorway.

Dan walked toward her, slowly backing her into the wall. "I believe we made a deal."

Hermione looked up into his eyes. "I'm breaking the deal."

"Who's breaking what?" I asked maliciously.

"Charlie," Hermione whispered. They both turned their heads at me caught in a not respectable position.

I had an incredulous look upon my face, with my arms crossed over my chest, demanding an answer.

Dan stepped away from Hermione. "Well Hermione here, has agreed to go out on a date with me." I glared at Hermione as she glared at Dan.

"Did not."

I menacingly stared at Dan. "Why did she agree to go on a date with you?"

"Well," Dan said pointing to Hermione, "We bet that I was right about something, and if I won she would go out on a date with me. And of course I was right," he finished smugly.

"What were you right about?" I asked. Suddenly Hermione's shoes became very interesting to her.

"Would you like me to tell him Hermione?" Her head shot up, her eyes narrowing at Dan. "I thought as much. Well I guess we better get ready Hermione. We're going into a new restaurant in town. Be ready in an hour." He cockily pranced out in the hallway leaving me with Hermione.

"Are you really going on a date with him?" She nodded in response. I couldn't believe it. After what I told her and everything, Hermione was going on a date with Dan. I had to do something. I had to follow them and spy on them. I nodded in response to her. "Well have fun."

"Yea," Hermione said monotonously, "I will." I left her to get ready as I walked across the hall to my room. I slammed my door and worried. What if something happened between those two? Would I be able to deal with it? Suddenly my thoughts drifted back to this morning when Leanne had kissed me. When did everything get so screwed up?


	9. Midnight Snack

**A/N: Ok, so I slacked a bit and Gina wrote this chapter. Kudos to her! And Rest ****In**** Peace Heath Ledger, I'll always love your movies.**

**Chapter 9 Midnight Snack**

Hermione heard the door slam behind her. She turned back to her empty room and for some reason felt even lonelier. She closed the door and went to picking out an outfit for her date. After endless minutes of just staring at her closet, hands placed on her hips, she decided to wear a simple pair of jeans and a baby doll top. She sighed to herself upon looking into the mirror.

Left, right, left right, smooth creases. This is how it went for the next 10 minutes. For some reason she just wasn't satisfied. Maybe it was because she didn't want to go downstairs and was stalling for time. However, when she looked at the clock, she knew she had wasted enough time. She eventually had to go, and hopefully it would be over soon.

She grabbed her purse from off her chair and opened her door closing it softly behind her. She glanced at Charlie's door, which was still closed and sighed before heading down the stairs.

Dan stood at the bottom of the staircase, near the door, dressed to impress. Dark jeans, a white dress shirt, with a black jacket, adorned him. Hearing her footsteps, he turned around and waited as she walked down the staircase. "You look amazing, Hermione," he said not taking his eyes off her.

"Thanks, now let's get this over with," Hermione hurriedly said,

Dan took her hands in his. "You know I'm not forcing you to do this Hermione," he stated seriously.

She snatched her hands from his. "Yes you are. Now let's go," she finished, stubbornly leading herself out of the door.

"Fine have it your way," Dan muttered. He took a quick look up the stairs and waved cockily, hoping to stir something inside of somebody, before walking out the door behind Hermione.

"Where are we going?" Hermione said as he offered his arm to her.

"It' a surprise," he smiled mysteriously. In turn, Hermione sighed. She didn't any more surprises in her life; especially not from him.

They continued to walk in silence, through the dragon reserve, and out into the little town in the outskirts of where they lived. Entering, Hermione couldn't help herself, and gasped. It was beautiful. "Is this a Muggle town?"

Dan shook his head. "No. This is Romana, a little town we found out about when we built the dragon reserve. Everyone here is either a witch or wizard."

Realization suddenly hit Hermione. She and Charlie were on the run and there they were in plain daylight of everyone in the town of Romana. "We shouldn't be here," Hermione whispered to Dan.

"Oh pish posh, no one here knows who you are. In fact no one even knows about this town. There's nothing to worry about alright." He continued to walk with Hermione as she silently nodded next to him. She still thought it was a bad idea. Even though the town was beautiful, she was distracted. She was constantly checking to see if they were being followed. This had to be against the rules.

Dan watched Hermione next to him. "Will you calm down," he whispered in her ear. "We're fine. Trust me."

"I'm trying, but something just doesn't feel right."

"Oh stop being paranoid," he joked. "Ahh here we are." He pulled Hermione off to their left spotting the restaurant.

Hermione looked up and read the sign. _Carabbas_ "Oh my God, this is a Muggle restaurant and my favorite. How did you know?" she gazed up at him shocked he would do something like this.

Dam smiled. "That's for me to know and you to never find out." Hermione hit him playfully in the arm as he opened the door for her. They walked through and into a quaint Italian restaurant. The hostess stood right in front of them, as Dan casually strolled right up.

"How many?"

"Two," he replied.

"Follow me," the hostess replied grabbing two menus and leading them into the restaurant and out onto the open deck. The sun was just beginning to set in the horizon. It was absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking.

Dan held out her chair and waited for her to sit down before he took his seat. "So do you like your surprise?" Hermione nodded vigorously, continuing to look around as if a kid in a candy store. "I thought you would," he smiled cockily picking up his menu and looking at it.

Deciding to be immature, Hermione stuck her tongue out at his cockiness, before picking up her own menu. Dan laughed out loud as each page Hermione turned she huffed. "What?" she asked. "Just because I can't decide on what to get doesn't give you license to laugh at me." This caused Dan to laugh even more.

Their waiter soon came around and ordered drinks, disturbing Dan and Hermione's chatter. Once the waiter had brought back their drinks and taken their orders, Dan decided it was time to get down to business.

I paced around my room as I heard Hermione close her door. After about a half an hour of pacing and thinking I heard Hermione's door open and close quietly. She was ready for her date. A burning sensation erupted from the pit of my stomach. Was this what jealousy felt like? I wanted to be the one waiting at the bottom of the staircase for her. I wanted to be going on this date with her.

I waited until she was down the hallway, before I made my way out of my room and down the hallway. I peered around the corner. Dan waved to me. Bastard. How I wanted to kill him. But unfortunately we actually needed him.

I turned back toward the hallway fighting with myself. Should I go? Should I not go? For some reason the pro side won. Go figure.

I summoned a coat from my room, before taking off down the stairs and out of the house. I followed somewhat closely behind them, until they reached the entrance of Carabbas. _'Why here of all places,'_ I thought to myself waiting outside. I needed to find a way inside without being obvious…

My head swerved to my right as I hid in the shadows quickly. Someone in a black robe had just entered the restaurant. My heart beat pounded in my stomach. What if we were found? A million what if questions ran through my head; each question more grave and extreme than the one before it.

I put a disullionment (sp) spell on myself before heading into the restaurant. I needed to find out what was going on, now more than ever. Chatter surrounded me as I entered through the doors. I slid my way past the hostess and made my way through the restaurant behind the person in the black cloak.

He sat down just in view of Hermione and Dan, however in the restaurant. The sight of the two of them made me sick. But I quickly put that aside and made my way to a corner of the restaurant, with Dan, Hermione, and the mysterious black cloaked person in sight.

I stood there my guard up. Something was up, and Dan and Hermione had no fricken idea what could be happening. How stupid could they be? The black cloaks eyes never left Hermione. However, before I knew it, their dinner had ended and they were getting up and heading out of the restaurant.

I watched as Dan placed his hand on the small of her back and balled my hands into fists. Standing in the corner, I realized that I had taken notice to smaller things that I normally didn't take notice to.

A cold chill filled Hermione as she walked by someone in a black robe. Her eyes never left that persons and neither did Dan's.

"Something's wrong," Hermione whispered as soon as they left. Dan only nodded before pulling Hermione down an alleyway to their left. "What are we…" before Hermione could finish Dan put his hand over her mouth and cast a charm on both of them sending another cold chill through Hermione.

"Okay now were good," Dan cautiously said pulling his hand away from her mouth.

"Are we being followed?" Hermione looked around down the alley.

"Yes. But now whoever it is can't follow us so there's nothing to worry about," Dan paused. "Now let's get home before anything else happens. I need to contact the order as soon as possible." Hermione nodded, before following Dan very closely.

Thoughts continued to race through her head as they made their way through the town. Her head was constantly turning, on the lookout for anything unexpected. She half expected someone to jump out and start like a war. But she knew no one could see them, she was just over reacting and being silly and she knew it.

The safe house was just in sight and they could not wait to make it in the front door. Both Hermione and Dan sighed as they closed the door behind them. They could finally relax.

"Well tonight was quite a night," Dan started stepping away from the door.

Hermione sighed again. "Yea. Well I'm just gonna go upstairs, I could really do without all of this right now." Hermione started to head up the stairs.

"Yea, I have to contact the Order." Dan looked at his shoes before looking back up at Hermione. "I guess I'll see you in the morning then?"

"Well we do live in the same house." And with that Hermione left for once with the last word in their conversation and with a cocky smile present. Maybe Dan wasn't so bad after all.

With each step Hermione took, the stairs groaned and sighed beneath her. She had her backpack in hand and was ready to go. It was midnight. And if anyone saw her or asked, she was out of bed for a midnight snack.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs she quietly crept into the kitchen, making sure to dodge any creaky spots on the floor. She sighed. No one was in the kitchen. This was going better than she expected. Hermione placed her bag on the kitchen table, and put her hair into a ponytail, before double checking that her wand was in her pocket. She minimized her bag and grabbed a handful of floo powder. "Grimmauld Place." With a bright flash of green flames, Hermione Granger was gone.

"Holy mother of Merlin," Ron yelled dropping his sandwich.

"Shhh," Harry angrily shushed, before turning to Hermione. "What are you doing here?" he whispered. "You weren't due until tomorrow."

Hermione stepped away from the fireplace, brushing the ashes off her. "I had to come. We need to do something and fast." Ron and Harry both looked worried now. With their furrowed brows they listened intently to what Hermione had to say. "Charlie and I are being followed." Before the boys had a chance to rush in and say something Hermione had stopped them. "I was out tonight with a friend and someone in a black robe was following us, watching us. I'm positive it was a spy for Voldermort."

"Hermione are you sure it wasn't just some random guy in a black robe," Ron reasoned.

Hermione nodded. "When I got near him, I experienced this chill running through me. I didn't get a good feeling from him Ron." Harry just stood there contemplating what to say or for that matter what to do. "Harry, what do u think?"

"I think we need to figure out a plan before anyone else gets involved." Both Hermione and Ron silently agreed before they were interrupted.

"Hermione is that you?" a tired voice said.

"Go back to bed Ginny?" Ron scolded. Hermione slapped Ron in the arm before enveloping Ginny in a hug.

"How are you doing?" she whispered.

"Better. You?" she asked yawning for the third time.

"Ah could be better." Both girls hugged each other again, before a yell erupted from the doorway.

"Oh shit," they unanimously whispered into the dark kitchen. They were all gonna get it.


	10. I Was Serious!

**A/N: I am ****sooooooooo**** sorry for the wait you've all had to live through! Here's chapter 10!**

**Chapter 10:**** I Was Serious!**

"WHAT IN MARLIN'S NAME ARE YOU ALL DOING?!" Molly Weasley yelled. The four teens winced visibly. "HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER, DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU COULD HAVE BEEN SEEN AND KIDNAPPED?! YOU COULD BE DEAD AND WE WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN THE DIFFERENCE!"

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so troublesome." Hermione's eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"Well, what are you here for, not that I mind you being here, but does Charlie know you're gone?" Hermione paled.

_Pop._

"CHARLIE!" Ginny cried as she ran towards me. My sister threw her arms around me and hugged, it was then that Ginny noticed I had forgotten a shirt.

"Charlie," she whispered trying to warn me. "You haven't got a shirt on."

"Shit!" I whispered finally feeling her clammy hands. Ginny scrambled to cover my shoulder by throwing her arms around my neck. _Too late._

"Charles Weasley, what is that on your shoulder?!" Mum yelled.

"With all this yelling I think you're going to have a sore throat tomorrow mum." I joked; Harry and Ron chocked back their laugh.

"Stop avoiding the question and answer me!" Sighing, I turned around, Ginny still holding onto my shoulder for dear life, exposing the dragon tattoo. "When did you get this?" mum seethed.

"Do you remember the day Fred popped into Ginny's room and handed me that tube I left in their flat?" she nodded her head. "I got up early that morning and went to see Anne Walsh, my old school friend, and she did it for me." The grip around my neck tightened.

"And why did you get it?" Mum wouldn't stop unless I gave her all of the answers.

"Because I'm going to be 25 soon and I wanted it." I prepared for the yelling my mother was going to give me. Instead she looked at me teary-eyed.

"I'm sorry Charlie; you're just a more free-spirited person than Bill. Sometimes I don't think I can cope with all the things you lot pull on me." I walked over a hugged her. "But I think maybe you should put a shirt on, after all Hermione is present."

"Mum, I don't think she minds looking at my dragon-wrangling muscles." I winked at the girl in question causing her to glare back at me. _That's right, I'm mad at her for going on a date with _Dan_, but why is she mad at me?_

Molly picked up a tea cozy and transfigured it into a plain white tee shirt for me to wear. "Charlie, you and Hermione will have to stay here tonight; it's far too late to go back. But I'm afraid we've only got one available room left. You two will just have to share it."

"You can't let them share a room!" Ron bellowed pointing to me.

"Well it's not my first choice either Ronald, but I'm afraid Ginny's room is far too small for another bed, and you and Harry are bunking together already." Mum said, pointing at him.

"There are plenty other rooms around here!" he retorted.

"They're all filled with dangerous things; I refuse to put either of them in those rooms."

"What about making Charlie sleep on the couch?" He finally asked hopefully, he really was desperate.

"Ronald just let it go. Charlie and I aren't going to end up in the same bed or anything." Hermione rolled her eyes, her small hands resting on her hips.

"I trust you 'Mione, it's him _around_ you I don't trust." He pointed at me again.

"Come off it Ron, do you really think in the middle of the night I'm going to just come onto Hermione?" Ron getting defensive for someone who doesn't care for him romantically was pissing me off.

"I wouldn't doubt you to, Charlie." He said glaring.

"What ever," I mumbled and went upstairs to the only empty bedroom, a tiny pair of feet following me the entire way.

Downstairs, Ron was still fighting with mum; I could hear them all the way in our now shared room. I was serious when I told him I wasn't going to do anything to her, and I'm not that kind of person.

"I'm sorry about Ron," I said as we climbed into bed. The room was on the smaller side, so our beds were closer than expected.

"What ever," she said, turning her back on me.

"Why are you so angry at me? Shouldn't I be the one who's angry for you going off premises with _Dan_ tonight?" I hissed. _Oops._

"What do you mean 'off the premises' Charlie Weasley?" she sat up and glared at me again. The kind that burrows it's way into your very soul, the kind that can make the most grown-up man quiver.

"I, uhm, followed you out to the restaurant…" my back was already pressed against the wall, I didn't have any escape routes, no windows and the door was across her bed.

"You WHAT?! Why on earth would you follow me on my DATE Charlie?"

"Something didn't feel right-" I got cut off.

"You're right, the fact that I went out with someone other that a Weasley wasn't right, it's not _safe_ for me to have a life at all. I should just be prim and proper Hermione-book-worm-Granger and not have fun!"

"I never said that!" I pointed.

"Do NOT point at me," her face was flushed with anger. "The fact is that _you_ followed _me_ out on a _date_ with another guy, and then you follow me here!"

"Well I was appointed to make sure you stayed safe if we were ever attacked, if I had just let you walk out of the kitchen ad not at least _tried_ to find you my head would be mounted on the wall with all of Kreachers dead relatives!"

We sat there, staring the other down, until finally I shook my head. I wasn't going to play a childish staring game when I could be sleeping. I laid down and turned towards the wall, a moment later I heard her do the same.

"I'm sorry dears, but you're going to have to go back to the reserve in the morning." Mum whispered opening our door just enough to stick her head in. "We can't have Ron going off like this again." She looked at Hermione. "Nothing against you dear, I just don't want him to do anything irrational." We nodded and she left the room.

A few hours later Hermione got up and mumbled something about tea.

"If you're down there for too long I'm going to send out a search party…" I warned her, already half asleep. Little did I know who was downstairs, I probably would have gone with her.

_**In the Kitchen**_

Hermione placed one foot onto the cold basement floor and quickly drew it back. Just because it was October did NOT mean the floor could be _that_ cold. She continued on with making her tea, not realizing there was someone sitting at the table already.

"Oh," she said, turning around. The mug full of hot water that she had been holding was now broken into a million little pieces on the floor. "I'm sorry, I'll just leave." She said hurriedly.

"Hermione wait," the figure stood up, it was Ron. "I'm sorry alright? I didn't mean to freak out about you and Charlie sharing a bedroom, it just made me jealous. And I guess me overreacting is my way of showing you that I care."

"Ron, I know you care, and I care too, just not in the same way. You've become my best friend these past 6 years and almost like a brother, so why would I want to throw all that away?" she stood there. "You're practically asking me for forever, and right now I can't even begin to think about tomorrow."

"I know, and I'm sorry for being a git. You are my best mate after all." The two smiled and sat at the table, getting mug after mug of tea.

**A/N: So there it is, hope you liked it! I'm so sorry you had to wait for this, but the next chapter will come sooner than you think!**


	11. She's Safe With Me

**A/N: Thank you for all the reviewers for doing what you do best: reviewing! Anyway, here's your chapter.**

**Chapter 11:**** She's Safe With Me.**

"Let's go wake up Harry," Ron said after they finished their 3rd cup of tea. Hermione nodded and started up the stairs.

"Harry," she jumped on his bed. "Wake up, we need to talk."

"I'm awake," he mumbled.

"_A__guamenti_," Ron said, splashing water all over his friend's face.

"What did you do that for?!" he yelled. Hermione and Ron both hushed him and made him sit up.

"Now, we need to talk about why I'm here right now." She stated, but the sound of someone in the hallway stopped all noises in the room.

"Did you hear that?" Ron asked.

I woke up around 3 in the morning with he urge to go to the bathroom. When I left the room, I tried to be quiet so Harry and Ron (whose room was across from mine) wouldn't wake up. However, I stepped on the loose floorboard outside of the door.

"Did you hear that?" I heard Ron ask Harry. But then I heard a girl's voice, _Hermione?_

"Maybe now isn't the best time to talk about it." I heard movement within the room. "I'll see you boys tomorrow." Her footsteps echoed off of the floor. _Shit, she's coming!_ I looked around and ran back into our room, and jumped into my bed.

The door opened and I rolled over, "Where've you been?" I ask, faking a sleepy voice.

"Don't worry about it," she says and gets into her own bed, facing away from me.

The next morning I woke up to sunlight shining through the window at me. Yawning and rolling over I open my eyes, Hermione's bed was empty.

My eyes widened; what if something happened to her? I ran to the hallway and stopped. Looking around I saw the door to the bathroom, someone was in there, I could hear the shower running.

When I opened the door, I didn't find who I was looking for. There he was, standing in the shower singing a Weird Sister's song into a pink back scrubber with a clear shower cap on his head.

"CHARLIE, GET OUT!" Ron screamed at me trying to cover himself. "GO AWAY!" By this time I couldn't contain my laughter, and when I closed the door I feel onto the ground holding my sides.

"Charlie, why are you on the ground?" Hermione's soft voice said.

My eyes widened. "I walked in on Ron in the shower," she nodded her head as I stood up. "Did you know that he-"

"DON'T YOU DARE CHARLIE!" the aforementioned brother roared from the tub. I heard water being splashed around and Ron slipped on the tile floor.

"Quick let's go," I whispered grabbing Hermione's hand and running silently down the hall to our room. When we got there, we both fell onto one of the beds and started laughing.

"Did you hear him slipping?" she asked, tears of mirth running down her cheeks.

"When we see him again, he's going to be so angry with us." She nodded, our laughter wearing off. "Let's go get breakfast." We both stood up and made our way to the kitchen where mum was already cooking breakfast for Harry and Ginny.

"There you are; you two haven't seen Ron have you?" As mum asked I bit my lip and made it bleed.

"Actually," Harry interjected. "He said he was going to take a shower before breakfast." Hermione let out an almost silent giggle, making my face turn red from holding back my laughter.

"What's wrong with you two?" Ginny asked as we sat down.

"There's a few things wrong with both of them," Ron said sitting next to Hermione. Her face got screwed up in a very unattractive way so she wouldn't laugh. "First and foremost walking in on someone in the shower, secondly standing there and openly making fun of them, and third telling that persons best friend!" Ron started shoveling food in his mouth.

"Who walked in on you in the shower?" Ginny asked, disgusted.

"CHARLIE DID!" eggs sprayed across the table.

"Didn't you hear the water running?" Harry asked me like I was a child.

"Yeah, but I thought it was Hermione." Obviously, I didn't think about how that sounded until Harry and Ron paled, Hermione went bright red, and Ginny just sat there staring back and forth between me and her best girlfriend. Behind me, I heard wood meet stone. Mum was standing there with her mouth wide open; she had dropped the wooden spoon she had been holding.

"What did you just say Charles Weasley?" She asked through clenched teeth.

"I said….oh." It was my turn to blush now, and I was putting Hermione to shame. My neck was almost burning with the amount of heat. "That's not what I meant. What I meant was that it's my duty to keep her safe and when I woke up and she wasn't there I panicked. And I heard the shower running, and I guess I should have knocked first but I was concerned and I think that should count for something!"

"Of course it does dear; just-never ever say that you were expecting to see Hermione in the shower ever again. Especially if you mean it." Ginny lowered her head looked intently at her food with a slight smirk, a trademark for when Weasley's are up to something.

After we had all been feed until the danger of explosion, mum made Hermione and I go get cleaned up.

"I'm really sorry about this morning." I said as we washed our faces of dirt mum claimed to see.

"It's fine, I'm actually flattered that you were worried about me."

"But aren't you mad at me?" 25 and women still confused the shite out of me.

"I was, but I guess it was all in good interest and not for you to just annoy me or something." She walked out of the bathroom and I followed quickly into the living room.

"Now dears, I expect an owl by tonight. I hope you have a nice trip, oh and Charlie, do keep our Hermione safe."

"She's safe with me, mum. I promise." I said taking the old necklace and placing it around the young woman's neck and grabbing onto the charm. With on last wave to the three of them, we were back in the middle of the dragon reserve.

"OI!" I turned around and instantly scowled, Dan was running towards us. "This is an emergency! You guys need to come see this, NOW!" he said, pointing towards one of the barriers.

Hermione and I looked at each other and started running in the direction he was pointing at.

"WAIT!" he screamed. "We need to disillusion ourselves or we'll be killed."

"Is it…the men in the black cloaks?" Hermione asked, her voice quivering slightly. Dan nodded.

We all got disillusioned and walked towards the barrier, and then I realized we were in the muggle village. The men in black were everywhere, looking in stores, walking around in the middle of the street, even sitting in the alley ways. But no matter where they were, the muggles weren't paying any attention to them, so they were invisible to them too?

After a few moments of sitting there and just watching we decided to go to the safe house.

"They know where we are, they just don't know how to get to us." Dan confirmed over a cup of warm tea. "And they are a new brand of death eater, none that we could identify, they're different. It's like they're only visible to the wizarding community and no one else. Even magical animals can only feel their presence.

"Well," I set my cup down. "How do we get rid of them?"

**A/N: ****AHHHH****!!!! I'm sorry for the long wait, but here's your chapter! Enjoy it, the next one will get posted sooner, I promise!**


	12. Bittersweet Moments

Chapter 12 Bittersweet Moments

Hermione gazed out her window, drumming her fingers on the windowsill. Two Months. That's how long she'd been in Romania. That's how long she'd been holed up in this godforsaken place. She sighed again, and slouched ber back against the wall, crossing her arms in the process. When would things get better? She was tired of hiding. She was tired of waiting. She wanted to do something…anything!

A light breeze stirred Hermione from her thoughts, as letters present on her desk proceeded to scatter all over the floor. She let out a frustrated noise. Harry, Ron, and her, had been devising a plan through letters for the past month, since there other plan backfired. Mind you they were coded but still she didn't want anyone to see them. She had until the last day of December, until the three of them would set off alone, and hopefully end all of this.

She paused. But what about Charlie? She had grown to love Charlie in the past few months. Every joke they shared, every fight they had. She loved every minute of it. She wanted to be with him, she wanted to… well some other things. This thought made her blush.

After gathering all the letters, she hid them somewhere safe, near her desk. A soft knock on the door made Hermione jump. Making sure the letters were safe, she opened the door, hoping to see Charlie there.

"AHHHHHH….……DAN!"

Dan's laughter could be heard to her left. "Happy Halloween Hermione!" He had set a skeleton to fly in her face as soon as she opened her door.

"That's so not funny Daniel, it scared the living shit outta me." By this point Dan was on the ground laughing, clutching his stomach. She crossed her arms, and shook her head. "You act like such a child sometimes Dan."

Dan stopped his laughter, and stared pointedly. "Oh c'mon Hermione it was just a joke. Can't you take a joke?" He pulled a puppy dog face in which he got a blank stare for a response. "Guess not," he paused turning the other way his voice getting quieter. "Guess someone hasn't gotten any in a while," he snickered.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Hermione stalked toward Dan, hands glued on her hips.

Dan slowly crouched up from his spot, sticking very closely to the wall. His adams apple bobbed. "Nothing." Hermione unglued her hands. "However, if you do want any help with that problem of yours, I'm positive Charlie could help you with it."

I walked into the safe house, carrying a box of annual Halloween decorations. Tonight was the Halloween party for the reserve, and everyone had decided to hold it right here in the safe house. What safer place than here right?

"DAN YOU GET BACK HERE! AHHH!" Hermione voice screeched down the hallway.

"HELP, HELP, THE GIRL WHO HASN'T GOTTEN LAID IS AFTER ME!" Dan cackled running for his life.

'_Oh crap,'_ I thought to myself looking up at the stairs. _'Here they come.'_

And bounding around the corner, and down the stairs came Dan followed by Hermione.

"Impedimenta," Hermione yelled at Dan, causing him to freeze halfway down the satairs. She pocketed her wand smiling before descending the steps with a certain skip in her step. She blew a kiss at him before turning the corner at the bottom of the stairs into the kitchen.

"You asked for it," I sighed looking up at Dan, before heading into the kitchen after Hermione. She sat at the kitchen table, reading the Daily Prophet. I placed my box of decorations on the table and went about my business.

"Stop it," she finally whispered moments later.

I continued to go about my business as if nothing was wrong. "Stop what?"

"You always think I start everything," she lashed back at me. What was up with her? She had been crabby for the past couple weeks now.

"Hermione I…."However, before I could finish my sentence she had gotten up and out of her chair and exited the kitchen out the back door. "I will never understand women," I sighed to myself.

Hermione sat up in her room again, later that night. The Halloween party had already started and she could already hear the music blasting downstairs. She paced her room back and forth. For some reason she didn't want to go down. It was a costume party and she was all ready for it, but she couldn't muster up the courage to go down. Let's see she had frozen Dan, lashed out and walked out on Charlie. What a great Halloween this has been. Her light blue trail followed closely behind her as she continued to walk. If only she could be Cinderella for real and find her prince charming.

Knock! Knock!

"Come in," Hermione sighed, sitting on her bed.

"Girl what are you doing sitting up her all alone, when there's a partay going on?" Hermione laughed. One of her good friends that she had met at the dragon reserve, had been her rock the past couple months. She had moved from Portugal to Romania on a student internship type of thing when she was younger and now lived here.

"Jen, what are you doing here?"

"Looking for you chika, what else would I be doing?" She stated matter of factly.

"Umm dancing with **cough** you know who." Jen blushed at this comment. She had, had a crush on one of the dragon trainers, Andy, for quite some time, and things weren't progressing how she wanted with him. So Hermione was there to push her in the right direction.

"What about you and a certain someone," Jen nudged me at as she sat beside her on the bed.  
"What about him? He's nothing but a …a…"

Jen put her hand in front of her face. "Stop right there Hermione. You don't mean what your going to say at all." Jen paused. "I see right through you. You really like him and don't deny it. You wish you could kiss him and other scandalous things."

"Jen!" Hermione yelled outraged.

"You know its true honey," she smiled.

"And what about you and Andy huh?" Hermione nudged back grinning.

She sighed and laid back on the bed kicking her legs and covering her face. She let out a frustrated scream. "I really like him, but nothings happening. I don't know what else to do Hermione. He's so…"

"Quiet…unable to read…" she finished for her. Jen only nodded her head in agreement.

"It makes me so frustrated." Jen opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling, tracing circles with her eyes.

Hermione laid back on the bed. "Tell me about it."

Jen sighed. "I hate boys."

"Me too."

"Now lets get you to that partay," she sung getting off the bed, interrupting the nice, 'I hate boys moment.'

Hermione sighed. "There's no way I'm getting out of this."

I had watched Hermione as she descended down the stairscase, from where I was standing. The party was in full swing an hour ago, and I had wondered why it had taken her so long to come to the party. One of her good friends, Jen, bounced down the stairs behind her, eyeing a certain someone. Why did love have to be this difficult?

As the night progressed, I watched as Hermione proceeded to dance with every guy in the house, except for 1. I was becoming more and more jealous with each person she danced with. By the end it was 11:30pm and I had already had enough of the party. I made my way through the hoard of people, and just barley scraped by Dan. I finally reached the staircase with a sigh and made my way up to my bedroom, unaware of someone following me.

I stopped in my tracks, still not facing her. I heard her footsteps cease behind me. "I thought you were mad at me."

I felt her hand grab my arm. "I'm sorry." I heard her sigh. "I just hate being cooped up here all the time." She paused. "Aren't you just tired of sitting here and waiting Charlie?"

The way my name sounded on her lips was enough to make me turn around. I slipped her hand into mine, looking into her eyes. She didn't pull away, however the sadness in her eyes said everything.

"It doesn't matter how I feel Hermione. We have a duty to stay here and we must do just that." It hurt me to say that since I felt the same way she did, but there was nothing we could do. "Were being hunted Hermione , and if they find us…"

"I know Charlie, but I want to do something…anything to help out Harry." I nodded in agreement.

"I know Hermione, I do too." I let go of her hands and placed them on either side of her face.

"Charlie…" she whispered. I traced her lips with my tips of my fingers, wanting her….all of her.

I looked up into her face, as I suddenly heard footsteps approaching us. My hands immediately retracted to my side. It was Jen… what was she doing here? I saw her wink to Hermione, before she continued to pass us and enter a room at the end of the hallway. I looked to Hermione for answers. She only shrugged her shoulders in response. A second later, Andy walked down the hallway, entering the same room. Hermione giggled uncontrollably.

"Well I guess they're going to have fun tonight." I said causing Hermione to laugh even more.

I glanced around the hallway and back towards Hermione. Since when did I back her up against the wall?

Hermione glanced towards the room where her friend was. I reached for her chin and turned it towards me. I looked into her big brown eyes, and then to her lips. I felt a shiver run through her. She looked innocently up at me as I brought her towards me and covered her mouth softly with mine.

Her eyes fluttered closed as soon as our lips touched. It was like heaven on earth. Our lips were on fire. And before I knew it her arms had wrapped around my neck, and were stroking the nape of my neck with her fingertips. It was driving me insane. I needed more of her.

I pulled away very slowly, relishing every moment. I needed to gain control of myself before anything happened too soon. My head rested against hers as I slowly opened my eyes. Hermione's eyes fluttered open a second later, staring up at me.

My lips moved on the own accord as I tried to find the right words to describe what I was feeling. She placed her finger on my lips ceasing any conscious thoughts I had, before leaning up and covering my mouth with hers. She opened her mouth inviting me in to explore. My tongue left no area untouched. I tasted all of her. Cinnamon….that's what she tasted like.

In what seemed like forever, we broke apart gasping for air. The tension between the two us had been building the last two months and it was finally taking off.

She looked up at me with hooded eyes as she grabbed my hand in hers. I wanted to say something, however she proceeded to bite her lip and look at me innocently making we capture her lips yet again.

"Charlie…" she whispered, breaking apart from me, her voice laced with lust.

"Yes…"

A scream peirced the air, as one by one every light that illuminated the hallway blew out, followed by a damp cold chill winding through the house.


	13. Lights Out

A/N: Soooo here's the chapter everyone has been waiting for, well hopefully. Hope you all enjoy it. And remember REVIEW! This story has succeeded far more thanwe thought it would thanks to everyone out there. So thank you so much!

Chapter 13 Lights out

I heard Hermione whisper my name through the cold, damp darkness. I reached out for her, hoping to convey some comfort. I had no idea what had happened but obviously it wasn't something good. It felt as if the dementors had somehow found the safe house, but that was impossible, dementors had never set foot within the dragon reserve boudnaries. 

"What do you think happened Charlie?" Hermione asked disturbing my thoughts. She grabbed onto my arm as if life depended on it. Hopefully I was providing with her some comfort. 

"I'm not sure," I heard myself acknowledge. Robes rustled beside me. "What are you doing?"

"I'm getting my wand out, so we can try to find out what's going on," she paused. "Now where is that…" I grabbed her hand abrubtly. "What are you…."

"Shh," I interjected. "Whatevers out there, we don't want them to see us." 

I felt Hermione stare at me even through the darkness."Then what are we supposed to do? Huh Charlie?" 

I tried looking around down the hallway, but I couldn't even see a hand in front of my face if I tried. 

"I'm …

"Charlie!" Dans voiced yelled through the darkness from downstairs. "You okay?"

"Yea," I called back. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure, but Leanne's taking care of it as we speak." 

"Okay," I yelled back, and as I did the lights proceeded to come back on as did the music. 

However as they did, I looked to Hermione as her scream peirced the air, lost in the music. 

10 men in black robes stood to my right wands pointed at our faces. We both slowly stood up, reaching for our wands. As we did, one man stepped forward. "Don't even think of getting your wand Charlie. It's 10 against 2, what makes you think you can get out of here alive?"

Without him even taking his mask off, I could tell who the voice belonged to. "Lucius," I growled. His cackle erupted off the walls, cold enough to freeze the warmest of waters. 

"Lucius," Hermione whispered next to me, whipping her wand out in his face, faster than I thought impossible. 

Lucius's face turned stone cold, and became very serious, as he turned to Hermione. "Long time no see, Miss Granger," he hissed taking a step closer to her. 

I moved paritally in front of Hermione. "You take one more step Lucius and you will regret it." Hermione's eyes bore a hole through my back. I knew she hated being treated as the damsel in distress, but what was up Lucius's sleeve, I never knew, and I couldn't take the chance. 

Lucius cackled softly to himself retreating back a step. "I see. Well we must do something about this now don't won't we," he suggested to the other Death Eaters behind him. 

_'Shit, this isn't good,'_ I thought to myself. I looked behind me to Hermione, realization dawning in her eyes. We both looked down the hallway, there was 10 of them 2 of us, there was no possible way we could get out of this without one of us getting hurt or worse getting killed. Especially now that Lucius had figured out our weakness. 

I heard the music blaring in the back of my mind almost as if a death march. Dam no one could hear us funny how fate works isn't it? There was so much I wanted to tell Hermione, so much I wanted to do, so much I wanted to experience. It was all flashing before my eyes. 

Hermione stepped out from behind me, ceasing all of my thoughts. "If I go with you, will you promise to leave Charlie alone and not hurt anyone else?"As she announced this, Lucius's face lit up.

"NO HERMIONE!" I yelled grabbing her arm. 

She yanked it away from my grasp. "I'm not doing this for fun Charlie. I'm doing this for us, for the Order. You should understand that more than anyone." She turned to Lucius, "So do we have a deal?"

"Of course my dear, now lets get out of here before I change my mind." Hermione could only nod in front of me. 

"But, Hermione…" I tried again to reach for her, but she had already made up her mind and there was no changing that. It was like my worst nightmare come true, watching Hermione walk down the hallway to her death. I didn't know anything could feel like this, like a heart breaking into a million pieces. In one last desperate apptempt, I nodded to someone in the distance, as I fired my first spell at Lucius himself; the Cruciatus curse. 

I had never been this angry in my life, and when I saw Lucius collapse on the floor it brought me pleasure. 

"Confringo."

"Duro."

Two voices yelled down the hallway, causing debris to scatted everywhere, causing a dust cloud to form in the hallway, giving us the cover we needed. Jen and Andy had heard the commotion down the hallway and were ready to fight with me. I heard another voice down the hallway firing spells left and right.

"Hermione," I whispered watching colors illuminate the hallway, in the cloud of dust, that surrounded us all. There was still hope. 

I felt a hand grab me and pull me in the room to my right. "What the…

"Charlie, its Jenn," she whispered, her wand illuminating her face. "We need to get Hermione out of there before its too late." 

I nodded. "Any bright ideas Jenn?" 

"Not really… you?" Sounds erupted in the hallway shaking the whole upstairs, as more lights whizzed by the room. 

I looked towards the door. "Nope, but we could always resort to …

Jenn glared at Charlie, "Were not killing anyone Charlie."

I sighed. "I wasn't talking about killing anyone Jenn. I was talking about just fighting in general. Ya know, hands feet, and just firing off spells in general." She stared at me through hooded eyes, her sight flickering between me and the door. "We don't have forever Jenn, its now or never," I demanded. 

"Fine. On the count of three we go defeat these bastards." I nodded hoping we weren't too late. "One…. Two…CRASH!

"Duck," I yelled covering Jenn. Someone in black robes flew through the door past us into the window behind us blasting glass everywhere. It felt as if a thousands tiny needles were poking my skin as the echoing of the glass repeated in my ears. "You okay Jenn?" I asked. 

She slowly stood up examining the room. "Yea…OMG Charlie you're bleeding are you okay?" Her hands pressed and prodded my body as the blood continued to flow from all the cuts. 

"Yea, its nothing but a couple cuts," I brushed her off. The creaking of the house around us jerked my attention back to the matter at hand. "What happened?"

"Not sure, let me go check." Jen rushed to the window, the cracking of glass roaring beneath her feet. "Looks like a death eater just got seriously hurt," she specualted leaning out the window. "He'll be out for a while… whoever it may be."

Green light suddenly flooded the upstairs, stopping Jenn and I suddenly in our tracks. My heartbeat skipped many beats as did Jenn's probably. 

Her face turned paler than pale. "Andy."

"Hermione."

Jenn sprinted out of the room into the corridor, ready to fight to her death; I not far behind her. The debris had cleared, leaving a crystal ball view of what was happening. Disaster, that was the only word that came to describe the scene in front of me. Andy was fighting Dolohov as Jenn was fighting what looked like Crabbe, and Hermione was locked in a battle with a death eater, that reminded me of…. "No," I heard myself whisper. "Not Bellatrix." 

"Crucio," someone boomed behind me. Pain erupted throughout my whole body denying me of air, or of anything my body needed. Dam Lucius. The pain finally subsided after 3 long, agonizing minutes that seemed to last forever. "Miss me?"  
One of my hands slapped the ground, before the other one joined it as I did my best to push myself off the ground wiping the blood that was trailing from my mouth. "Not really."

A quiet cooing breathed from his mouth. "Aww that's too bad."

I pointed my wand at his face. "What are you playing at Lucius? What do you want from me?"

"What makes you think I'm after you dear Charlie?" he cackled peering behind me. 

My eyes narrowed at him, a low growl rumbling from my chest. "What do you want with her?"

"Your're so naïve Charlie," he chuckled. By this time we were both circling each other, eyes locked in a dead battle. "Hermione has more than one use to our Lord, and all of us," he teased. 

"You won't lay one hand on her…"

"And how will you stop that? Huh big brother Charlie? Are you gonna be there when…"

"Stop right there Lucius," I demanded.

"Or what?" he prodded lowering his voice to a dead whisper.

"Confringo," I yelled suddenly pointing my wand at the wall, causing it to explode. I was thrown backwards as Lucius got caught in the crossfire of the blast. The floor numbed my skin as I fell onto my back. My eyes saw dots before I rose to my feet, ready to fight. Would this ever end? Would help ever come? How many people would die before the night would be over?  
The putrid smell of death reached my nostrils, almost making me want to dump the contents of my stomach on the floor. 

"Aww is p…p…poor Hermione hurt?" Bellatrix cackeld in her baby voice, directing my attention towards them. However, before I could even get over to Hermione, I was thrown off my feet yet again. 

"CHARLIE!" I heard Hermione scream as she watched my mangled body fly through the wall. It was as if this was all happening in slow motion. 

Bellatriz laughing, spells being cast every which way, debris flying in all directions, people dying. It was as if I was watching a silent movie. I quickly got up brushing the debris off me, as Andy ran past the hole in the wall, which I had just made. He was pushed back a few fet as he continued to battle Dolohov. 

Joining him, he finally told me that the order was on their way. It would only be a matter of moments before they arrived. We only had to hold them off a few more minutes. Piece of cake. 

Before I knew what was happening, Andy had dropped next to me.

"ANDY!" Jenn criecd from down the hallway, watching her lover fall. Andy could not die I told myself, the order would be here. We would all be alright. My anger had gotten the best of me as green light flooded from the end of my wand and into Dolohov's chest knocking him to the ground. A sign of relief came over me. 

The order apparated into the hallway, as the death eaters apparated out. It was over, the battle was over. I breathed heavily in and out as I looked around me. We had taken out 8 of their guys and only 2 had escaped from our grasps, them of course being Bellatrix and Lucius. 

"Charlie." Hearing my Dad's voice brought solace to me, as he embraced me in a hug I desperately needed. "Are you alright?"

"Yea Dad I'm okay," I said still trying to catch my breath. "Where's Hermione?" I asked quickly. 

"I think Ron and Harry got to her first Char. But don't worry everything is going to be just fine. It's over for now."

I patted my Dad on the shoulder. "I know Dad, I know. Now excuse me." Mr. Weasley only nodded at his son's back. 

Dead bodies and debris covered the floor, as I continued my walk towards Hermione. I watched as she embraced my brother and then Harry. However, as she saw me coming she silently shooed them away. 

I grabbed her hands in mine. "You okay?" she nodded slowly.

"You?"

"Just a few scratches her and there…Hermione are you okay?" I watched as she put a hand to her forehead and continued to wobble a little bit.

"Yea, just a little …" Before she could finish her thought she was heade toward the floor.

"Hermione," I yelled catching her in my arms. "Someone help, quick help!"

Everyone rushed from what they were doing to where we were. "Quick Charlie," my Dad said, motioning to the only clean room upstairs. "Put her in this room for now."

I softly laid her down on the bed we had conjured just for her. Something was wrong with her and I needed to find out now. What if someone had put a curse on her. I stood at the side of her bed, watching her. My hand grabbed her, slowly drawing circles on her palm.

Mr. Weasley, silently shooed everyone else out of the room, leaving him and his son in the room alone with Hermione. 

Mr. Weasley looked lovingly towards Charlie. "Son…"

"Dad…" I interrupted not wanting to hear exactly what he had to say, "Hermione and I aren't safe here anymore, neither is anyone else in the order. We need to be moved immediately."

"I know son, I know."

"And not just anywhere, Dad," I said turning to him. "We need somewhere where Hermione and everyone can recover and relax, if only for a little while."

"Yes Charlie… I know just the right place," Mr. Weasley soothed. "Everything will turn out fine."

"I hope so Dad, I hope so."

Earlier that morning I stood on our beach balcony relishing the sea breeze on my face, trying to forget the happenings of the previous night. Why did this have to happen like this? He and Hermione had kissed. A smile came over me. It felt good to say that. However, something was wrong with Hermione. Stupid Hermione, she had almost given herself over to the death eaters to save his life and everyone else's. Now she was seeing a nurse from Saint Mungo's to figure out what happened to her. Stupid, stubborn, Hermione. Thinking she could take on all the death eaters without my help. 

I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder, startling me out of my thoughts.

"Oh it's you Jenn. How's Andy?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "He's been better. How's Hermione?"

I looked out towards the ocean. "I'm not sure, the nurse is seeing her now."

She stood next to me also looking out into the ocean. "I'm sure she'll be fine Char."

"I know, hopefully Sicily will do us all some good."

"I'm sure it will," she said wistfully.


	14. Good Night

**A/N: This story has done amazing! We never thought it would be this reviewed! Speaking of reviews, thank you to all who reviewed this time and never got a response. Testing time at school, ya know? Well here's chapter 14.**

**Chapter 14: Good Night**

I was left alone on the balcony again, and the sun was setting. I decided it was time to go inside and check on Hermione since the doctor we called should have been done checking her out.

"Mr. Weasley, I was just coming to find you." He said as I shut the French doors. "Miss Granger took a dreamless sleep draught after I examined her. She has a concussion and a few small lacerations. She's also lost some blood, not a significant amount but enough that she needs to rest for a few days."

I leaned against the wall. "So she just needs to rest, there's nothing else going on?" I was rather skeptical.

"Well," he took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "She might be susceptible to amnesia, but it's a very small chance." He picked up his bag and threw it over his shoulder. "Make sure to call me again if there are any problems." I shook his hand and he left.

When I went to check on Hermione she was still sleeping. Jenn walked up behind me.

"What did the doc say?" she asked quietly.

"She could get amnesia," I said simply, and walked to the kitchen. This entire thing was unbelievable, first the attack, then being relocated without most people knowing where we were. It was slightly unnerving.

I started making a turkey sandwich when Andy ran into the room, his face unusually pale.

"She's awake." He said to me. I dropped the food and ran to Hermione's room where Jenn was sitting at the end crying silently.

"Hermione," I said walking closer to her.

She looked at me like she had never seen me before. "Who are you?"

"I-I'm Charlie, Ron's brother." My heart was now in my throat, so was the sandwich I had just taken a bite of. "You met Ron at Hogwarts,"

"What's Hogwarts? And who's Ron?" she asked. Jenn started sobbing, and Andy took her into the kitchen to get tea.

"Hogwarts is the school we both went to, to learn magic. And Ron; is your best friend, and my little brother."

"I can't have ever met you, I would remember your hair." She said matter of factly.

I sighed, "Well, let's start from the beginning then, shall we?" I asked.

"NO!" she got out of the bed, her clothes all rumpled and torn. "I don't know who you are, and what you want with me, but I don't want to be here." She made her way towards the door.

"Hermione, you can't leave." I said stepping in front of her.

"And why not?" Her temper was rising quickly.

"There's a cult out there, in the world, called the Death Eaters, and all of us, including you are in hiding from them. You got hurt in an accident which is why you don't remember anything, and why we're here." I explained it the best way I could, the only way I could without thinking about the kiss.

"_Death Eaters_?" she scoffed. "Sounds like it's run by a crackpot if you ask me. I mean, what kind of cult leaders names their followers 'death eaters'?" She ranted momentarily. "So there, it can't be a real cult."

I took my wand out and pointed it towards the window creating bars across it. Summoning her wand I ran out the door and locked it from the outside.



"Andy, Jenn, we need to get the doctor back here." I yelled running towards them.

"You called?" the wizened man said stepping out of the fireplace moments later.

"She has amnesia," Andy said, comforting a still sobbing Jenn. "Is there a potion or a spell we can use to fix it?"

"I'm afraid the only potion takes one month to prepare." He said. "What have you done with her for the time being?" I told him and he nodded. "You wouldn't want her getting out and hurting herself."

"I just wish there was something we could do." I put my head in my hands and started breathing threw my nose.

"Well, Mr. Weasley, I could give you the instructions on how to create the potion and then you could administer it to her in her morning juice or something." He offered pulling out a roll of parchment.

"Oh thank you!" Jenn said throwing her arms around the poor man.

He patted her back and walked towards the fireplace, "Make sure you read the instructions carefully and remember that some of the ingredients can be bought from the muggles." He tipped his hat and entered the floo network.

The next day Andy and I were walking through a park around twilight. Jenn decided to stick around and see if she could talk to Hermione more.

"I know there was something going on between you," he said staring at his shoes. "When you brought her to the safe house I just knew that she was special to you." He finished. I looked at him and smiled.

"The night it happened…she kissed me." I said the image of us in the hallway etched into my memory. "The night she got attacked she lowered her walls and let me in, and let all the death eaters in as well." I growled remembering the smirk Lucius wore when he thought he'd won.



We sat on a bench and took in our surroundings. There were families in the park that night that would never know what was happening in London or Romania. The kids would never have to worry about losing their parents; at least they wouldn't if we defeated Voldemort in time. Across the lawn there was a woman walking her dog that looked vaguely familiar from far away. The tanned skin, the blond hair, and the strong legs all reminded me of someone and the thought of the person made my blood boil in anger.

"Whoa," Andy said suddenly. "Do you know who she reminds me of?" he pointed towards the woman walking her dog. "Leanne."

As soon as he said that I looked at her again, this time she was closer, I saw her smirk and as a truck drove past she had disapperated.

"She knows where we are." I said in disbelief. "Let's go back to the house and make sure the girls are alright." We stood up and walked towards an empty alleyway. Appearing in the kitchen of our rented apartment Jenn greeted us.

"We saw Leanne," Andy told her. "But we never told her, or anyone else for that matter, where we were going."

"So that means Dan would know where we are too." She mused aloud. "They're always in the same places and talking about the same things. What was she doing when you saw her?"

"She was walking a dog, then the smirk and disapperated." I said grabbing three beers out of the fridge and handing one to each of them. "I just don't understand why she would follow us here."

"Well, there is no explanation that we know of yet, hopefully it was someone who looked like that bitch and not actually her." Jenn said starting on dinner.

"I think we all hope that's the case." Andy turned toward me. "Do you want to go out tomorrow and start looking for those ingredients the doctor left us? That way we can start on the potion within the week."

I nodded. "Absolutely, I think we should try to find a place to buy wizarding stuff too, that way we can make a polyjuice potion also."

The rest of the night was spent eating dinner with Hermione and trying to make her feel comfortable around us again. Since Jenn was with her all the time, she already was close to her again, but she was very skeptical of me.

"I've always liked red hair," she would say when she saw me late at night. "Maybe I should marry someone with red hair, that way my kids can have auburn hair and be beautiful." In response I would always smile and hope she had sweet dreams.

When Andy and I went out the next day our wands were always in our grasp, hidden by our pockets. We found some of the ingredients at a local food market the first one being pomegranate juice. We were confused, but bought a small bottle anyway.

On our way back to the apartment the hair on my neck stood on end. I stopped and looked around spotting a tall brown haired man. "Dan," I growled through gritted teeth. He smiled and disapperated, just as Leanne had the day before.

"How can they know where we are?" Jenn asked exasperated. "I think Moody is the only other person that we told, and somehow people from the reserve still seem to find us?"

"What reserve?" Hermione asked, she had heard the entire conversation, but didn't follow a word.

"The reserve we were all at before coming here, where you got hurt, and where we worked." Andy explained.

We had started telling Hermione more and more about what happened and why she wasn't allowed out of the apartment yet. She slowly started to understand and remember.

"I just don't get it." Jenn whispered again as she served dinner.

"Maybe, it's not them, and they're death eaters just trying to psych us out." Hermione offered, trying to be helpful in anyway possible.



"If that's true we're in real trouble." I joked, her face lost all color. "But we'll worry about that another time."

The rest of the night was spent telling Hermione about the dragons and her friends.

"But you see, there's this guy Dan, and he took you out once." I told her as we sat in her room late in the night. "I followed you guys to the restaurant and there was a _thing_ watching you guys, and none of the muggles could see it and you were sitting so you couldn't either." She shuddered involuntarily. "Sorry, enough of the scary stuff until tomorrow," I smiled. "Good night Hermione."

In my room I stripped out of my clothes and put on a pair of shorts, but when I pulled the covers down I heard a noise outside my door. Grabbing my wand and watching for the creaky floorboards I opened my door, only to be face to face with Hermione.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"The last story you told me, about the Dan guy…it kind of scared me, and I don't really want to be alone." She blushed.

"You can stay with me tonight." I said smiling at her again, she didn't know how hard my heart was beating in that instant, how much I wanted to grab her and kiss her. But I refrained from doing that and we got into my bed, which was big enough for both of us comfortably.

"Charlie?" She whispered.

"Yeah, Hermione?" I answered.

"Thanks…for not freaking out and telling me about my life and stuff." I could tell she wanted to cry, so I put my arms around her and pulled her closer.

"I just hope you get better soon." I said, "So you can remember the kiss." I listened to her soft breathing and realized she had fallen asleep. "Good night." I whispered into her hair and closed my eyes.

**A/N: This was much longer for me then the other ones I've written, and I hope you enjoy it.**


	15. The Date, The Letter, and The Vial

**A/N: Oh man! Here's chapter 15! And to all of you people who reviewed, you are my favorite people ever!**

**Chapter 15: The Date, The Letter, and The Vial.**

It was only a matter of time before she asked to be taken around the town. She had asked numerous times before, but we had always told her to wait for everything to blow over.

As expected, she was confused but never challenged us. She knew something was going on, something that was stressing me out. It was a good thing he personality hadn't changed.

She liked to talk to us and hear the stories from the reserve or things she had done in school with Ron and Harry.

I was reading in the living room of our apartment with Hermione next to me, when Andy came in and announced that we only needed one more ingredient for the potion to restore Hermione's memory. That was when she asked to come along.

When Andy and I talked to Jenn about it she said she needed stuff for dinner and would take her while Andy and I got the ingredient. She was so excited she spent the next two hours in her room with Jen picking an outfit to wear.

We finally left and parted ways at the market.

"We'll meet back at the apartment in about an hour?" Jenn asked checking her watch.



Andy and I nodded and, with a smile from Hermione, left.

"What are we looking for again?" Andy asked exasperated.

"I'm not even sure anymore." I sighed. "If we had polyjuice we could go to Diagon Alley and find what ever it is."

"The lacewing flies? You mean as a substitute for this muggle stuff we can't find?" I nodded. "Why don't we send for some from the order and just wait another month?"

"Andy, you're a genius!" I smiled and we walked back to the apartment.

"I thought I saw Leanne while we were out today." Jenn whispered to me as Hermione told Andy everything that had happened that day. "And of course she had to smirk at me." She all but growled out. I smiled entertained. "I never liked her…" she went on.

I finally started to listen to what Hermione was telling Andy and dropped my fork.

"You got asked on a date?" I said in disbelief. In response, she nodded excitedly.

"He's great, his name is Demetrius…" I blocked her out again. A _date_! How was I going to deal with this on top of everything?

"Excuse me," I stood. "Dinner was great Jenn." She nodded knowingly, and I walked down the corridor to my room and fell onto the bed face down.

"Charlie?" Hermione's timid voice came from the doorway. "Have I done something to upset you?" she asked venturing in and sitting on the corner of the mattress. "You seemed a bit disturbed when I mentioned that I have a date tomorrow."



"It's tomorrow?!" I rolled over and stared at her incredulously.

"Yes, he's taking me to dinner." She stood with her back rod straight, which for her was pre-battle stance. "And no matter what you say I'm going."

I fell back into the bed again. "I'm not stopping you, just please be careful." She nodded. "Don't let him do anything you don't like and all that stuff."

"Char, I promise to stay safe." She moved next to me.

"You used to call me Char all the time." I pronounced sadly. "You and the rest of my family."

"I wish I could remember it all." Her voice was full of emotion that shown in her eyes. She stood and walked out of my room and into her own.

A few moments later I got up and walked over to the desk in the corner.

_**Hello boys,**_

_**Hope you're having fun. I have a favor to ask…**_

The very next night, around midnight, an owl tapped at my window. The owl flew in, as I opened the window and dropped the letter in my bed. The parchment was purple and anything written on it was in yellow, and when I went top open it, just like a howler (except not as loud) it started talking.

"_Why hullo dearest brother of ours!" _ One of the twins voices greeted.

"_We understand that you need lacewing flies-"_ came the other one.

"_-and that you're asking for polyjuice potion."_

"_We can give you those things, we be can't exactly just send them to you in a brown paper package."_

"_So we've sent a vial of polyjucie potion that is strong enough for only one half hour of use."_

"_Come to the shop tomorrow at noon-"_

"_-exactly-"_

"_And come up to the register."_

"_Tell us something only our family knows about us."_

"_Than we'll give you the flies and the potion." _The envelope smirked and I could only think of the matching grins on their faces.

"_By the way, we already added the hairs and we really think you'll just _love _who we picked."_ The envelope smirked at me, and all I could think of was the matching looks on my brothers' faces as they added whose ever hairs they were. I shivered slightly afraid.

"Who were they?" came a voice from the doorway. Hermione had just gotten back from her date and was still in the black dress Jenn had loaned her for the night.

"My brothers Fred and George, they're the twins." I said staring at the letter which had folded itself up and lay innocently on my bed.

"The jokesters?" She smiled at the thought of all their tricks I had told her about.

I nodded, smiling. "Have you seen Andy? Is he still awake?"



"He's having a drink in the kitchen." I thanked her and set out to the central meeting place in our temporary living place.

"Andy," he looked up at me in the dim light. "My brothers have the ingredient and a stash of polyjucie potion in their shop. They sent me a small vial of the potion so I can apparate and pick everything up tomorrow." I explained quietly.

"Ok, so you're just going to apparate there quickly and then come back here?" he asked.

"I won't be there for very long, they made the potion so it lasts for only half an hour. So I'll just go there get everything and maybe get some news about what's going on." My friend nodded at me and I set off for bed, it was already late and the next day was most likely going to be trying for me considering my life was in the hands of my prankster-for-a-profession younger brothers.

When I got to my room I slid out of my jeans and pulled my tee-shirt over my head. With a wave of my wand the light was out and sleep had started to take over.

"Charlie?" Came a small voice somewhere in the darkness of my room. "Char, are you awake?"

"Hermione, what's wrong?" I asked groggily.

"Nothing, it's just that, I had a scare and I was wondering if I could stay the night with you."

"If you don't mind sharing a bed with a half-naked red-head for the night then sure you can stay with me tonight." She giggled as I rolled on my side and she climbed under the covers.



"Good night Charlie." She whispered, but I had already fallen asleep.

**The Next Morning**

I woke up around nine in the morning; the Italian sun was shining through my window. Opening my eyes I noticed a tuft of brown hair fanning over the pillow and a warm body rather close to mine.

We weren't entangled but I was afraid if I moved she would wake up, so I inched my way out of the bed and pulled on a pair of shorts and a tee-shirt.

"You know, I'm awake Charlie." Hermione said sitting up.

"I didn't know if you were or not, so I tried not to move you too much." I confessed, feeling a blush creep up my neck.

"I wasn't moving because you were still asleep." We laughed for a bit at how odd it was that our thoughts were the same, but mostly because we didn't want to make anything awkward.

"Let's go get some breakfast." I said opening the door only to find Jenn and Andy leaning against the opposite wall, smug looks on their faces.

"Fancy seeing you in there Hermione." They joked.

Again we both started laughing, but no one mentioned it again through out breakfast.

"I should probably get going." I said rinsing off my plate of eggs and toast. It was only 11:45 but I had a feeling I would need clothes from someone else.



I took the vial off my bedside table and uncorked it. _Here's to the end of the war._ I thought downing the potion.

**A/N: So it took me awhile to write, but I had to think of a good chapter! So here's your chapter 15, finally!**


	16. Where Am I?

A/N: Thank you to all our reviewers, you guys have been amazing! So this is for you! I Promise the next chapter will be out shortly. Things are about to get interesting ;)

Chapter 16

Where Am I?

I took the vial off my bedside table and uncorked it. _Here's to the end of the war._ I thought downing the potion.

It tasted just as putrid as a I remembered. The green gook slipped and slided down my throat, as I held my nose the whole time, trying my best not to get any taste of it. I slammed the vial down once I had gulped down the last bit, almost breaking the vial. My hand felt splinters embed themselves into my skin, as I gripped the edge of the table feeling my body take the form of another.

3 agonizing minutes later, I sensed the potion finally wearing off. Not to say I wasn't relieved because I was, it just was I was scared of who I had turned into. I walked over to my mirror, and frowned before letting out a thunderous yell, that actually sounded like a girlish scream.

Crap. Not moments later, I heard feet pounding up the stairs, before two faces appeared in my doorway wands pointed at my face, but not without demolishing my door in the process, can't forget that.

"Guys chill its me," I affirmed in my new voice. To my avail their wands still didn't lower.

They looked at each other hesitantly. "How are we to know?" Andy barked stepping closer to me.

I rolled my eyes. "Back at the Dragon reserve, you and I had this bet, who could hook up with more girls within a week…and I won." I smirked as Andy turned bright red, before Jenn turned on him with her wand. Obviously she didn't know.

"YOU WHAT?" Jenn screamed, slowly advancing toward Andy.

Andy walked toward me, "Hey, look it's Charlie!"

"Oh no you don't, you irish pig."

Andy hid behind me, poking his head from behind my back. "Aww honey don't do this."

I cleared my throat trying to get their attention. Nope. I tried a little louder this time. "JENN!"

Jenn turned on me. "WHAT?"

I motioned to myself. "May I borrow some clothes?" She took one look at me and burst out laughing.

"Of…course…" she breathed in between laughing. I sware one second ago she was just yelling at Andy, she could be bi polar for all I know. She was almost doubled over laughing at me as I walked out the door. I didn't think I looked that funny. Looking back at Andy, I found he was just as perplexed as I was. I shrugged my shoulders, as he silently walked behind me hoping to get out unnoticed.

"You're not getting off that easy," Jenn blurted dragging Andy back into the room, the door closing behind him, his helpless face the last thing I saw.

I sighed on the way to Jenn's room; poor thing set himself up. Oh wait, it was me who said that.

A minute later I entered Jenn's room and opened her closet. I felt like a girl standing there, hoping to find something to wear. However, I couldn't help but notice the state of her room. It was in disarray. The sheets were strewn everywhere…oh god. A blush crept across my face and I couldn't help but look towards the bathroom.

What seemed like a lifetime, I finally exited Jenn's room with a new outfit and a new understanding of their personal life. Curiosity, really did kill the cat.

My hands dug into our floo pot next to our fireplace. We were getting low, I had to remember to get some more. I stepped into the fireplace, yelling, "Diagon Alley," as green flames erupted around me.

_**WWW:**_

"George we need some more nosebleed nougat out here. They're going like hotcakes."

"Gotcha Fred, be right there."

I rung their store bell rung for what must have been the hundreth time that morning. Fred was working the register, as George was busy refilling the stock, running up and down the stairs to their basement stock, levitating boxes both infront and behind him.

"What can I do for you?" Fred asked not looking up from the register, too busy counting money.

"You know what I want you scumbag," I whispered loud enough just for Fred to hear.

Fred dropped the money he was holding before slowly looking up into my eyes. They were deep brown. I watched as his eyes continued down my body. My hair was of a deep brunette and I had humongous knockers. "GEORGE!" he screamed.

"WHAT? I'm kinda busy at the moment."

"You need to get over here for this," Fred gasped between fits of laughter, knowing this was all the blackmail he ever needed.

George stomped over to the register not noticing me just yet. "What is it?" Fred just pointed in my direction, as George's head turned toward me. Here we go again. "HAHAHA."

"I hate you guys," I mumbled as they continued to laugh at me. This was getting really tiring. "So do you have what I need or not?" I demanded hotly.

"Ooh getting tesy are we?" Fred tisked.

George winked. "We have what you need honey if you know what I mean."

I must have shown my disgust because they both burst into another fit of giggles. "Well?"

"Oh alright come on?" They both said leading me up into their apartment atop their shop. "Joanna, take the register," Fred called.

They closed the door behind them before turning to me very suspiciously, arms crossed over their chests.

I looked around me. "What? What is it?"

"How do we know if it's really you dear brother?"

"You could be an imposter for all we know," George said circling me.

Fred poked me in the chest."We need you to prove to us that your our good ole brother."

"So tell us something that only you would know."

I sighed. "Fine. When you two wacko's were 5 years old you burned all the hair off your head, doing some experiment or something. And you told me I was to never mention that to anyone." I smirked as I watched both their faces turn a few shades of pink. Bet they forgot about that lovely incident.

"You're no fun," they mumbled. George walked over to their safe and took out what I needed.

**Back at the villa:**

Hermione was in the kitchen, cleaning up from lunch. She absentmindedly started clearing the table when she felt that something was missing. It was almost as if the lights were turned out for most of her life. The people she was living with…she felt as if she knew them before…almost as if in a previous life. What had happened?

"_Hi, I'm Ron and this is Harry."_

"_Holy crickets your Harry Potter."_

Hermione shook her head.

" _GRYFFINDOR!"_

"_Today we gather for Dumbledore who was one of the brightest people I know."_

"_Congrat's Hermione, you're finally finished with school...what's next?"_

"_I thought you were mad at me…"_

"_Hermione…"_

SMASH!

Jenn ran from upsatirs, wand in hand, hearing the sudden crash coming from the kitchen. She stopped dead in her tracks as Hermione sat in the middle of the kitchen, tears running down her cheeks, and broken plate pieces scattered around her.

That night, after many serious convo's with my brothers, and another polyjuice potion, I flooed back into our Italian Villa, with what I needed in hand. "Andy!" I called into the dark.

"We're up here," I heard Andy's voice call down.

I climbed up the stairs, and into Andy and Jenn's room. "I have the last ingredient…" I paused looking at both of their faces. "What's up?" Jenn sat on her bed, as Andy stood by the window, arms crossed over his chest. They were both very quiet and solemn. Almost os if something was wrong.

"Now don't get your hopes up but we think Hermione, is slowly getting her memory back. But were still not sure," Andy stated staring at me.

I felt as if Christmas had come early. "That's great! How do you know?"

"Because I discovered Hermione crying in the middle of the kitchen this morning," Jenn interjected.

"Why was she crying?"I asked taking a seat in their room.

"I don't know Charlie," Jenn sighed. "All I know is when I found her, she was muttering _your name _and something about being mad." My face froze. That was the convo we had the night that everything happened. "Does that mean anything to you Charlie?" I could only nod. "Charlie...?" Jenn pressed.

"It was the convo we had the night it... it all happened." My head suddenly hurt...this was all too much.

Jenn's eyes widened. Andy walked over and sat beside her, placing his arm around her. "What happened that night between you two Charlie? It must have been something to make her that emotional."

"I don't want to talk about it." Jenn looked like she was about to say something before I beat her to the bush. "Where is she?"

"Charlie…" Andy started.

"Where is she?" I stated louder this time.

Jenn sighed looking poitedly back at Andy. "She's in your room. She asked to be in there."

I took one last glance at the both of them and headed back down the hallway and into my room. Her soft breathing could be heard through the darkness as i closed the door beind me. I stripped down to my boxers and slipped into bed next to her. I looked at her and then toward the moon, and wished that she would remember everything so I could have my Hermione back. I wanted things to be back how they were. But I knew they would never be. I just wanted Hermione back so I could be with her. Taking just one chance tonight, trying to hold onto what I was so close to, I slipped my hand around Hermione's waist and snuggled closer to her.

_**The Next Morning:**_

Hermione's eyes fluttered open, with the first of the sun rays piercing through the room. She groaned before closing them. It was too bright. Wait a second, blue walls? She didn't have blue walls. This wasn't her room at the Dragon Reserve...she had red walls there. Wait a minute. Her eyes sprung open. Was there a hand around her waist? And snoring? Something was horribly wrong.

Slowly twisting around, she found herself face to face with …CHARLIE?

"AHHHH!"

I jolted awake to the sound of a girl screaming.

"HMPH"

I looked around as the sheets fell off my chest. No one was in the bed. "Hermione!" I yelled.

"Where am I?" I heard someone whisper. My heart stopped.

"Hermione?" I whispered leaning over the bed. Luscious pools of brown looked confusedly into my eyes, holding my gaze for what seemed like forever.

"Charlie why am I in your room?" she asked softly looking around biting her lip.

A/N: Well i hope everyone liked this chapter! Remember to review and tell us what you think!


	17. It Was Nothing!

A/N: So here it is the next chapter, a lot happens in this one. Sorry it took so long, the end of the year stress was mounting. But here it is, and the longest one to date. I hope you guys love this chapter. I know I had a blast writing it. And remember read and review, were trying to make it to 100 reviews, so please help us. Thanks. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 17 It Was Nothing!

"Charlie why am I in your room?" Hermione asked softly looking around my room, biting her lip.

I shifted myself slowly to the edge of my bed. My heart had skipped countless beats, as I continued to think that she might have her memory back "You asked to be in here Hermione," I answered delicately.

She squeaked quietly below me. "Did we..?" Her face turned a bright shade of red, as she was lost at what to say. Inside, I couldn't help but laugh. She thought that we actually had shagged. I wish.

I shook my head. "Of course not Hermione." I could tell she felt better, but the matter still was, did she have her memory back?

A seagull cooed outside our window, grabbing Hermione's attention. I watched as she got up from her spot on the ground, leaving the sheet she was entangled in, behind. Almost as if in a trance, she walked to the window, watching the seagull. Both hands reached out to the glass, before making their way down to the handle. The door opened wide as she stepped out onto the porch. The sea breeze whipped at her hair, as I watched as she registered that we weren't at the Dragon Reserve anymore. She paused for a brief moment, looking out to the ocean, before running out of my room.

"Hermione!" I called, running after her.

Of all places she ended up on the beach. After running through every room in the house, she ended up on the beach.

I realized I was clad in nothing but my boxers when the sea breeze pelted my chest as I emerged onto the beach. I saw her pause in the dunes of the sand, and cross her arms over her chest. "Where are we Charlie?" she whispered, hearing my footsteps approach her. She didn't take her eyes off the ocean, obviously deep in thought.

I sighed and looked out, as the sun began making its way above the ocean, "Sicilia, Italy," I began. "After we were attacked from the Death Eaters, we knew it wasn't safe at the Dragon Reserve anymore. Andy, Jenn, you and myself, were transported to this Italian villa, in Sicily. We knew it would be safe here…for a while at least."

"And what of the others? Did Leanne and Dan make it?"

I paused, my chest tightening a bit. "We don't know Hermione. No traces of them were found. We can only speculate that they were apart of Voldermort's plan, and ultimately one of them."

"How do we know that…that they are one of them?" she spat at me.

"Because Hermione," I reasoned. "All the evidence adds up. Voldermort had no idea we were at the Dragon Reserve. The only way he could have known would have been if someone told him." Hermione just kept shaking her head, willing not to believe what I was telling her. "Hermione," I called loudly. "We had numerous spells put upon the reserve, no one could get in don't you understand? It all adds up."

She turned on her heels rather fastly. "I don't believe you. It's all speculation, none of its true."

I stared at her incredulously. "Are you saying that you actually liked them?" My anger was quickly becoming more evident as I continued to speak. "Or maybe it was just Dan you liked," I spat loudly turning away from her.

I felt a poke in my chest. "Don't you dare do this Charlie Weasley."

"Do what?" I retorted childishly.

"This," she motioned between us. "You're just picking a fight over a stupid matter," she noted matter of factly.

"No I'm not," I continued in my childish matter. "You're choosing sides, and your choosing the other side." I emphasized this by jabbing my finger in the air next to me.

She looked disbelieving, as her eyes took over a glassy appearance. "I'm not choosing sides," she hissed. "How could you even think that?"

"Oh I don't know," I chuckled. "Who knows what Lucius knocked you out with. For all we know it could be some weird spell or something. Something to distort your way of thinking. Maybe even be able to spy on us and what not. How are we supposed to know?" By the end of my rant I was out of breath and practically yelling.

"How am I supposed to prove that I'm back Charlie?" she screamed back at me. "Am I supposed to tell you something secret that only you and I know of?"

I nodded, hoping I would get the reassurance that she did indeed remember the kiss that we shared. The moment that could have been so much more if we hadn't been interrupted.

"Fine," she breathed. "One night when I stayed at your house for the summer and you were there, you came in drunk and told me about a time when the twins accidentally burnt their hair off their heads. And you made me sware that I wouldn't tell anyone. And I never did." She paused looking for confirmation. "Does that work?"

I looked down at the ground. "Yea," I gulped. "That works." But it wasn't what I wanted.

"Now do you believe that it's me?" I could only nod yet again. I must look like an idiot.

It felt as if we stood there for hours, not saying a single word, just standing face to face. Not even looking at each other. The waves continued to crash over and over again, as seagulls continued to fly above us. The air smelled salty, as the wind whipped us in the face.

I heard steps approaching us, as many morning walkers were starting to come out onto the beach. "You should probably go back into the house. You'll have some catching up to do with Jenn and Andy."

"Okay," she sighed. I watched her back as she skidded over the sand dunes and into the house, before I too sighed. _What was wrong with me? I was acting like … like a jealous ex boyfriend,_ I scoffed to myself, picking up a seashell and throwing it back into the ocean. I had to find out if she remembered. I just had to.

After Hermione felt Charlie's eyes off her, she turned around and looked wistfully at him. The sand was pressed beneath her feet, before she started to dig into it with her foot. Her thoughts took over her, as she plopped down onto the sand. With hands gripping her knees, she watched the sunrise, contained within her thoughts. Something was up with Charlie, and she didn't know quite what it was. She had a hunch but it was only a hunch. She had just gotten her memory back, and now she wished she hadn't. Everything was a blur. Everything was so screwed up. "I hate you Charlie," she croaked, as the sand around her became wet.

"Andy will you please keep your hands out of the batter. I'm trying to make pancakes for once," Jenn scolded slapping his hand with the wooden spoon.

"Aww," Andy sighed putting on a puppy dogface. "Your just such a good cook." He put his hands around her waist, laying his head on her shoulder, slowly kissing her neck.

Hermione paused looking through the glass doors. She was on the outside looking in at an intimate setting. Jenn and Andy. Why couldn't her and Charlie have what they had?

"Stop it," Jenn said trying to hit him on the head. "Oh Hermione," she jumped, hearing the door open. "I didn't see you there. Would you like pancakes for breakfast?" She continued to pour batter, the muggle way, into the pan, waiting for Hermione to respond. But no answer came.

Jenn and Andy looked between each other, as Hermione took her seat at the table. Andy sat down in front of her. "Hermione are you okay?"

"Yea I'm fine," Hermione smiled. "It's just really good to see you guys again."

Jenn shrugged her shoulders toward Andy. "Aww well it's really nice to see you to Hermione. You gave us quite a scare yesterday," she smiled back.

"Yea sorry about that," Hermione reacted quickly trying to act as if nothing was out of the ordinary. For some reason she just didn't want to tell them just yet. She knew it was selfish of her, but she couldn't help but not care right now, especially with Charlie monopolizing her thoughts.

"Here you go," Jenn cheered, knocking Hermione out of her reverie.

Hermione mumbled her thanks, before digging into the amazing pancakes.

Jenn sat down next to Andy, also handing him some pancakes. "Where's Charlie?"

"Down at the beach or something," Hermione mumbled with a mouthful of pancakes.

"What's he doing there?" Andy queried.

Hermione just shrugged. "How should I know? Why don't you just ask him yourself?"

"Hermione..?" Jenn quipped, hearing the animosity in Hermione's tone.

Hermione turned her head away. "I don't want to talk about it Jenn."

Jenn nodded defeated. "Alright Hermione," she answered softly. They continued to eat their pancakes in silence, except for the crashing of waves in the distance. Andy and Jenn continued to glance each other periodically, trying to find something to say.

Hermione looked up, rolling her eyes. "You know I can see you two right?" They each nudged each other before staring into their pancakes embarassed that they got caught.

Sighing, Hermione dropped her fork. "I am okay you guys. It's nothing really. See?" She smiled. Both, Andy and Jenn looked at Hermione, not seeing past her façade, however, before they could say anything, Hermione dismissed herself from the table, and headed upstairs to her room.

"I wonder what's wrong with her," Andy uttered, once Hermione had left the room.

Jenn snorted. "C'mon Andy, I'll give you three guesses why."

Hermione had paused on her way up the stairs, hearing Andy and Jenn's voices echo through the kitchen. The stairs groaned beneath her as she sat down, hands on her knees, listening to what was being said.

"Charlie?" Jenn nodded. "You think its Charlie?" Andy doubted.

Jenn placed her fork on the table, and laid her hand atop of Andy's. "I do. Do you see the way they look at each other? The way she asks about him. They spend the night together most of the time. What else could it be?" Jenn speculated.

"But she doesn't have her memory back, so how could she be sad? Everything has been honk dory between the two of them." Andy got up from his seat and placed his dish in the sink. He positioned his back to the counter, arms crossed over his chest. "She doesn't know of Death Eaters or anything. She knows of nothing that's going on right now. Her and Charlie had only just gotten involved that night."

"I know," Jenn spoke. "Poor Char, having to live with her like this. He's been quite a wreck lately. I just don't know what to do for him until she's got her memory back."

"All we can do is be there for him," he said walking back over to Jenn, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Jenn looked up at Andy. "And what about Hermione?"

"Well until she gets her memory back, there's nothing we can do."

Hermione had heard enough, as she ascended the rest of the stairs. She pushed door after door open until she finally found her room. Her room…it seemed so big compared to the one at the Dragon reserve. It also had a balcony, which I guess made it seem bigger.

Bypassing her desk, she made her way out onto the balcony. It seemed as if she had been suffocated for so long, that the sea breeze felt nice for a change. It made it feel as though she weren't chained to the house. Her eyes fell closed, as she relished the feeling. The salt air penetrated her nostrils, as the wind whipped through her hair throwing it in every which way direction. Charlie's form could still be seen on the beach, when she opened her eyes again, just a tiny dot in a sea of sand.

I had heard every murmur of Jenn and Andy's conversation, as I stood bewildered before the door. She didn't tell them? Why? My hand hesitated, before opening the door into the kitchen, and closing it behind me.

"Oh. Charlie it's you," Jenn stuttered. Her hand was placed over her heart. "You gave me a fright there jeez."

"Sorry," I mumbled, heading for the stairs, before anyone could ask me any questions.

I heard the chair screech against the wooden floor. "Okay something is definitely up between those two," I heard Jenn say to Andy. "And we better figure out what it is real soon."

"I agree."

I sighed, as my hand slid up the banister as I head toward my solace. My room. The hallway seemed deserted, in the midst of my thoughts intermingling within my mind. I passed Hermione's door, looking for only a second, before entering my room, and not looking back.

"What," Hermione whispered, letting go of the letter present within her hands. It slowly cascaded down onto her desk, along with all the other read letters. Months had passed, and she had gotten over twenty letters from Harry and Ron, devising another plan to leave ASAP.

Leaning back on her desk, she realized she missed so much in the last couple of months. She almost fell backward in her chair, as she looked at the calendar on the wall, it was almost Christmas. Holy crap. And Harry and Ron wanted to leave around New Years, which was just around the corner. So many things were happening so fast, and she had no idea what to do. Charlie, the boys, something needed to be done.

Hermione quickly scribbled a letter to Ron and Harry and sent it off. Now that, that was done, what was she to do?

Sicily, a quaint area, situated at the tip of the boot of Italy. It was completely surrounded by water, and one of the most beautiful places Hermione had ever seen. She couldn't keep her head looking in one direction; there was so much to see, and so much to do. Shop after shop littered the sides of the streets, as tiny cars, bustled their way through town, not bothering to obey the traffic lights or signs. Hermione wondered if this was a muggle town or a wizarding town, as she entered many varieties of shops. She had liked the café's the best by far. Plus the shopping wasn't half bad either.

Her wallet considerably emptier, and the sun setting in the sky, Hermione decided to head back home. The streets were slowly emptying, as families headed home to eat their dinners. Loud chatter could be heard from the many balconies that Hermione passed. However, Hermione couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. She kept looking around, as she kept her wand close to her… just in case. Blond hair could be seen down the block, along with someone with dark hair, walking beside her. The pair almost looked like…

"Leanne, Dan!" Hermione called. The pair turned around. It was them. Hermione waved her hand in the air "Hey." They both turned the corner, not pausing in their step. Hermione ran to catch up with them, however as she turned the corner they were gone. Standing there holding her bags, Hermione realized that something was amiss.

"Shit." Hermione stood in the middle of the street alone, realizing how stupid she had been. She ran quickly back home, not wanting to apparate, just in case they were watching. How could she be so stupid? They were spying for Voldermort. And she had recognized them. Shit. They now knew that she had her memory back. She was now putting her friends back in danger. She needed to go away before they found them…again.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Jenn asked from the couch, as Hermione practically slammed the door shut, placing her back against the door.

Hermione dismissively waved her hand. "Yea, I'm fine," she said out of breath.

"You sure?"

Leaving the door, Hermione placed her shopping bags by the couch. "Yea. When's dinner?"

She smiled lying dramatically on the couch. "Well whenever the boys are done."

Hermione laughed plopping down next to Jenn. "What?"

"You heard me…the boys are actually cooking, the Muggle way."

"Now how did you ever get them to do that?" Hermione asked disbelievingly.

Jenn laughed. "Oh I have my ways." Her arm was draped over the couch. "Oh boys," she called. "Are you almost done in there?" Grumbling was her only answer, as more clanks and crashes were heard from the kitchen area. The girls burst out laughing.

"So what are we having?"

Cooking. I am so not good at cooking. "I hate this Andy," I growled hearing the girls laughing at us.

Andy poured the pasta into boiling water, scattering them everywhere. "I know, who knew making pasta was so hard."

"How did Jenn get us to do this again?" I asked, stirring the sauce.

"Guilt tripping. How should I know, all I know is she has her ways." Andy waved around the scooper with the teeth in the air emphasizing his point. He went back to stirring the pasta, as it slowly sunk down into the pot. "So what's up with you lately Charlie?" he asked me suddenly.

I paused, staring into the sauce. Not much to look at. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. You and Hermione. Something is fishy between you two. Everything has been great between you two until today. What happened?"

"Nothing." He stared me straight in the face. "Nothing happened."

"Mhmm sure. Whatever you say Charlie. That's why you were on the beach this morning for hours right?"

I threw my hands up in the air, sprawling sauce everywhere. "Can't someone just go for a walk without everyone in their business?"

Andy wiped the sauce of his face. "Testy are we? My goodness you and Hermione are more alike than you think." He whispered the last bit, but I managed to still hear it. "It's almost as if she's…"he whispered to himself. He suddenly turned to me. A silent confirmation was all he needed. "Man that's great," he jumped for joy. "Aren't you happy?"

I shrugged my shoulder. " I guess. Why don't we call the girls in for dinner?" I quickly added not wanting to ask so many questions while the girls were so near. He nodded, before calling them in, as we set all the foot at the table.

The girls were laughing amidst themselves, just like good times, when we actually had nothing to worry about. They pair of them sat down across from us. I looked at Andy, who had a grin plastered to his face. I put my head in my hands. He was going to blow it. She would tell them when she was ready. Or better yet when we had things worked out.

"So how was shopping?" I asked as everyone started digging into his or her food.

"It was fine," Hermione nodded nonchalantly.

Jenn snorted. "Oh, c'mon Hermione it was more than fun."

Hermione sent a warning look to Jenn.

I looked between the two, noticing the way Hermione looked at Jenn. "Well…?" I pressed.

"Jenn…" Hermione admonished.

Jenn ignored Hermione cheerfully before answering. "Well Hermione met this guy…"

"Oh really?" I seethed.

"It was nothing," Hermione brushed off, trying to not make a big deal out of it.

I dropped my fork and stared right at her. "Well Hermione, do tell. What did he look like? Was he cute, hot? Did you kiss him? Is he a good kisser?"

"Charlie…"

"No I think we'd all like to know." Jenn looked between us perplexed, as Andy sent her an 'I'll tell you later' look. "Do share."

She also dropped her fork and stared right at me, with those big brown doe like eyes. "Charlie stop this."

"Why?"

"Because…Because I said so," she finished lamely.

That was her answer? "Because you kissed him, and then shagged him right," I yelled.

"Charlie"…Jen started, trying to intervene.

"STAY OUT OF IT!" Hermione and I both screamed, standing up in our seats.

I braced both hands on the side of the table. "So Hermione did you?"

"YES! Charlie I did, I snogged this guy senseless and then shagged him all afternoon," she proclaimed sarcastically.

I was taken aback for a moment, before I could answer. "Well at least you remember it."

Her eyes went wide. "What?"

"You heard me," I said softer this time sitting back down in my seat.

She continued to stare at me. "Charlie…"

"Don't Charlie me Hermione. We kissed… we kissed." I emphasized. "Don't you remember? Who knows what else would have happened. But we kissed."

Hermione sat back down, and realized what I had just said. "Oh."

"So you do remember?" I asked.

She nodded.

"Well?"

"Well what?" she barked at me. "What do you want me to say Charlie? That the kiss meant something. That I'm suddenly going to go crawling in your arms and everything will be better. I'm sorry, but I can't do that. The kiss meant nothing. It was a moment of insanity. Nothing can become of it. We're on the run. Nothing can be the same. That's just how it is."

"How can you say that? It meant something and you know it." She turned her head away from me. "Well if that's truly how you feel..

"It is…"

"Fine." I got up from my chair and headed upstairs.

"Fine," Hermione whispered, before getting up from her seat.

"Did we miss something?" Jenn asked.

"I think Hermione has her memory back," Andy said.

"Why didn't she tell us?"

Andy shrugged in response. "I don't know. But all I know is something serious just happened."

I bounded up the stairs; furious at what had just happened. I couldn't stay here anymore. I needed to get out of here. Entering my room, I shoved everything that I could into one suitcase, and bounded back down the stairs. I was doing something irrational and I knew it. But it had to be done.

"Charlie," Andy started seeing me with my bag. "There's no need to do this."

"How do you know?" I continued on walking toward the fireplace. "I just need to get away from here. From her. I'll be back when I calm down and get things situated."

Jenn stepped timidly toward the fireplace. "When will that be Charlie?"

I stepped into the fireplace, floo powder in my hand. "I don't know." Green flames erupted around me, as I disappeared, telling no one where I was going.

Andy and Jenn just stared at the fireplace as the green flames died down.

"Crap, this isn't good."

Jenn sighed. "Where's Hermione?"

"I think she went up to her room."

Both of them looked at each other and decided to stay where they were cause it was only a matter of time before Hermione came down asking where Charlie was.

After a few minutes of sitting in her room, Hermione decided to go and apologize to Charlie. The way she said everything, came out a lot meaner than she intended. Her emotions took a hold of her and her mouth ran away with it. It was just, she was holding everything inside for so long, that it was bound to come out, and tonight it had. And unfortunately it came out all wrong.

She knocked on the door. "Charlie?" There was no answer, so she knocked again. Hearing no answer, again, she turned the handle and pushed her way in.

The room was a mess. Clothes were strewn everywhere. Drawers were open, with clothes hanging out. The bathroom light was on. And the closet was…empty?

"Charlie?" Hermione called. She opened the bathroom door, hoping to find him in there. But to no avail, he was nowhere.

"Charlie," she whispered, sitting down on his bed looking around. "Crap, what did I do?" She closed the bathroom light and headed downstairs, looking for Jenn and Andy.

And there they were, sitting next to each other on the couch, staring at the fireplace. She heard whispering, but it all ceased as she stepped into the room. "Jenn, Andy, what's going on? Where's Charlie?" She walked so she was situated in front of them. The pair of them were very solemn and serious. Something was up.

"Hermione.." Jenn started holding onto Andy's hand. "Charlie's gone."

"What?" Hermione stammered, her face falling. "You mean like gone for a walk, as in he'll be back later tonight, right?" she asked hopefully.

Andy just sat there, as Jenn shook her hand. "No, Hermione, Charlie's gone."

Hermione's breath caught in her throat. "When will he be back?"

"I don't know."

"Where did he go?"

Jenn looked at the face of her friend. It was heartbreaking. "I don't know."

"Don't you know anything!" Hermione exploded getting up and running back upstairs.

"Hermione!" Jenn called, trying to get up off the couch.

Andy's hand halted her. "Let her go. She needs some time to let everything sink in. She just got her memory back, and now Charlie's gone. Maybe this will make her realize just how much she loves him, and just how much she needs him, and vice versa." Jenn nodded snuggling into him.

"It can't be true," Hermione faltered, entering Charlie's room. Tears started flowing down her face, as soon as she closed the door behind her. She walked aimlessly around his room, searching for something that would remind her of him. She finally found an old t-shirt that she pulled over her head. Inhaling the sweet scent of him, she had even more tears fall down her face. "Charlie," she choked into his empty room. "I'm sorry." His bed was soft and plushy as she fell into it. Tears made a puddle around her face, as her face was plastered into a pillow, his pillow. She dragged the covers around her, surrounding herself with him. If only this was under different circumstances.

The sea breeze filtered in through the balcony door, filling Hermione with some sense of comfort. She didn't really know how she felt though. There was a dull aching in her heart, as her throat was choked up, almost as if it was closing on her. It scared her. She had never felt this way for anyone before. She knew she really, truly, loved him at the moment, and she couldn't live without him. She needed him in her life. But she was scared. At the Halloween party, she had finally managed to take down her walls, and let him in. "Stupid Deatheaters," she hissed into the pillow. They had taken everything from her. They managed to ruin everything for her. She missed Charlie, already. Who knows where he is. He could be anywhere for all she knew. She just wished he were right there next to her.

"Charlie," she whispered, falling into a sleep. She knew what she had to do in the morning. She had to get Charlie out of her mind, and get over him. Who knew when he'd be back. Things were too complicated right now. Nothing could happen under these circumstances. She made the right decision pushing him away, it was for the best.

As soon as the sun rose the next morning, Hermione said her goodbye to Sicily and said her hello's to Ron and Harry, a little ealrier than expected.


	18. The Departure

**A/N: Yay! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, it really means a lot to us!**

**Chapter 18: The Departure  
**

Hermione took one last look around the living area of the apartment in Sicily. So many things had happened lately that she really didn't know what to do, with Charlie and running away from Dan and Leanne. So she threw the pinch of floo powder she had clutched in her fingers and sent herself to meet Harry and Ron.

When the fire in Number 12 Grimmuald Place turned back to its normal color, and not the emerald green the floo powder made it, Hermione apparated as quietly as she could into the boys room. It was about three in the morning and both of them were asleep, as expected.

She crept over towards the wall and set her bags down and on her way back to wake Harry a floorboard creaked causing that aforementioned boy to sit straight up and pull his wand from under his pillow.

"Who's there?" He asked in a steady, but tired voice.

"Wotcher, Harry. It's me, Hermione." I used the phrase Tonks had said every time she saw him; it was our way of knowing the other person wasn't polyjuiced.

"Merlin's pant, you gave me a fright." He turned on the lights, a bit dimmer then usual as to not catch the attention of Mrs. Weasley's ever watchful eye. "When did you get here?" He asked taking a look at the snoring Ron.

"Just now, I arrived through the floo network and then apparated so no one else would hear me." She sat on the end of the bed making the mattress groan under the combined body weight.

"And where were you and Charlie?" Harry asked crossing his legs to make more room.

Suddenly her eyes filled with tears, tears she wouldn't shed because of that man. "We were in Italy, but I think I blew our cover and I knew I just had to get out of there."

"What do you mean?" Harry had become the brother Hermione never had, and at times like this, it showed. "Was it something Charlie did?"



She shook her head and swallowed the lump in her throat. "I saw two of the people from the dragon reserve, Dan and Leanne, and Charlie told me that he's certain they're known Death Eaters, and I still called out to them and put myself out there." She looked at the raved haired boy. "I put the four of us in danger, Harry; they could have followed me back to where we were staying and killed us all."

"So you just left Charlie and the others?" He was obviously confused by the explanation.

"There's more," taking a deep breath she told Harry the entire story of how she lost her memory and when she got it back how excited Charlie was. "And of course the first thing I remembered was the kiss."

"You and Charlie kissed?" His eyebrows shot towards his hair line. "When, and where, and how?"

"I'm not really sure you want me to get into the details on how, but it was at the reserve the night I got hit with that spell. And I just feel so stupid because instead of facing him like I should, I ran away."

Harry grabbed her into a hug and pushed the hair out of her face. "Hermione, you are anything BUT stupid, and if Charlie really likes you he'll come looking for you once he's noticed you're gone."

She smiled and nodded. "I guess you're right Harry," then looking over at Ron. "Do you think we should wake him?"

"Well, we could, but I think we should keep this a surprise for him." He winked and laughed when Ron started muttering something about quidditch.

"We should get some sleep now Harry." He nodded in agreement.

"Here, we can share the bed tonight, but tomorrow you're getting your own." He smiled. "Goodnight, Hermione."

"Goodnight, Harry."

"Charlie, what are you doing up so early?" Andy asked at dawn the next morning.

I shrugged and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. "Dunno, couldn't sleep I guess."



"Would you like a dreamless sleep draught?" Jenn offered. "You look like you could use some rest anyway."

I shook my head. "Thanks anyway but I don't want to sleep the day away."

Walking over to the fridge and getting myself a glass of milk, I didn't notice the worried look the other two shared.

"So what do we need to do today?" I asked gulping down half the glass. "What ever's on the agenda we can start early." I stated finishing the glass.

"Just a quick question," Andy said, looking pointedly at me. "Where are your parents staying throughout all this?"

"Why?" Though he was my friend, he certainly confused me sometimes.

"Just wondering is all, we can't have Mama Weasley stuck at the Burrow now can we?" Andy took another sip of his coffee.

"No, we can't. She's at Order Headquarters, the one at Grimmuald place." I said simply.

"As for what's on the agenda," Jenn interfered, "I'm starting to get uncomfortable with how many times we've seen Dan and Leanne and neither of which have said anything to us." Her face was wrinkled with worry.

Andy and I nodded. "I wonder if they followed us on Dumbledore's orders, to make sure Hermione was safe." As Jenn finished the sentence the flames in the fireplace turned green and out walked the wizened old man himself.

"Speak of the devil," Andy murmured.

"I'm delighted to hear that you were speaking of me, but I am in no way, the devil. I've met him, nasty fellow." Dumbledore's watery eyes twinkled again, and I smiled knowing he was trying his best to lighten our spirits. "I am sorry for the intrusion, and I'm more apologetic that I didn't come in the proper dress." I looked down and noticed that Andy and I were both in our boxers; Jenn blushed realizing she was in shorts and tank-top, both showing more then she would have liked the older man to see. "No matter, I trust Miss Granger is dressed to match as well?" He looked at Andy and Jenn.

"Uhm, well…you see-" Jenn stuttered out, her blush reaching a color close to puce.



"I think she's still sleeping, so yes sir, she would be dressed to match." Andy added quickly, saving his girlfriend from eternal embarrassment.

"I see, and may I go speak with her?" I looked at his face and knew right away that something was up. He was here to open a discussion about something.

Andy and Jenn were squirming under the intense stare.

"Is something the matter?" He asked again. "Or shall I just show myself to her room?"

"NO!" Jenn yelled almost jumping over the counter in front of him. "We…we weren't going to tell Charlie yet, but Hermione's not here."

My jaw dropped somewhere in the vicinity of my knees and Dumbledore smiled.

"I don't know where she ran off to, or why, but it happened sometime while the rest of us were sleeping." She looked over at me. "I woke up with this feeling that something wasn't right, and I checked her room. When I saw she had left with all her things, I woke Andy." She confessed. "We didn't want to worry you Char."

"That's why you wanted to know where my mum was." I said piecing it all together in my mind. "Ron and Harry are staying with her!"

Dumbledore moved his glasses higher on his nose and smiled at me. "Yes Mr. Weasley, now as much as I admire that dragon on your back, I suggest you go dress yourself and stop those three from leaving Head Quarters." He walked toward the fireplace and waved. "Good luck to you all." And then he vanished in the green flames.

"Char, you heard him, go get dressed!" Jenn said pushing me towards the stairs. "You need to go find Hermione and let her know that she doesn't need to run away from all this and she sure as hell doesn't need to do it alone!"

I nodded and ran into my room pulling on the jeans I wore the day before and a tee-shirt that looked clean. After pulling on my boots I ran back down and threw some powder in the fireplace. "Number 12 Grimmuald Place!" I yelled and held my breath as Jenn and Andy faded from my sight.

**A/N: Ok, so this chapter is done and hopefully the next one will be up soon! I really hope you enjoyed it!**


	19. The Road to Redemption

**A/N: No, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you…it's really an update!**

**Chapter 19: The Road to Redemption  
**

As I spun around the fact that Hermione had run away from me stuck in my head and I could only imagine her looking around the rooms, looking for a reason to stay. Looking, but not finding one.

As soon as my feet touched the hearth of the ancient fireplace at the Head Quarters I bolted towards the stairs leaving ash boot prints on the carpet. Not caring enough to cast a cleaning charm I skipped most of the steps hurtling myself up to the room I knew the boys would be staying in. The one closest to mum's room. I tried not to make my steps too loud as I made my way towards the door and opened it staying in the doorway, not daring to move forward.

The worry in my eyes turned to anger and jealousy when I saw her. I saw her lying in a bed with Harry Potter's arm draped around her middle in a protective manner. Not thinking, my fists curled into balls and I punched the nearest thing: the door frame. The loud noise as my hand connected to the wood and the snap of it as well as my angry screams made the three teens wake in a frightful manner.

Ron's drowsiness went away when he saw I was standing there, what I had done to the door, and finally when he saw Hermione who looked like a deer caught in the headlights of muggle cars. Her cheeks turned pink and I could see tears brimming and knew that she would fight them and not let me see her actually cry. Harry mumbled something about getting a peaceful night sleep before grabbing his glasses.

"Oh shit," he mumbled.

"Oh shit is right Potter." I growled through clenched teeth.

"What in Merlin's name is going on out here?" My mothers voice rang as she threw open her bedroom door exposing her in a fluffy bathrobe and matching slippers. When she also saw Hermione she became angry, but nothing compared to me.

"I can't believe this." I turned and started down the stairs fuming.

"Charlie, wait!" I heard her call to me, but I refused to look at her. "Charlie, please just listen to me."

"Listen to you say what? 'It's not what it looks like', 'I can explain', 'we didn't mean for it to happen'?" I screamed and stood facing her waiting for an answer.

"Yes." She said finally. "I messed up yesterday and called out to Dan and Leanne, didn't tell you, and ran away because I didn't want you guys to get hurt because of me! I ran away to protect you and our friends because I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything happened!" The tears were now streaming down her face and in that moment my heart softened for her.

I stood there, my chest rising and falling again with every breath I took. Staring at the woman I thought was the most gorgeous thing in the world even though her hair was a tangled mess; and her left over eye make-up was smudged.

In that moment, I remembered why I thought she was so beautiful.

Andy and Jenn sat on the couch back in Sicily worrying. It had been almost six hours since Charlie had left to go find Hermione. Jenn was biting her finger nails and Andy couldn't stop tapping the arm of the couch.

"Where could they be?" Jenn finally asked. "Could something have happened to them?"

Andy shook his head. "I think that Char is smart enough to keep them out of trouble, and if they did Hermione is brainy enough to get them out of it."

"Why do you think she didn't tell us that she remembered everything?" Jenn asked after a moment of silence.

Andy thought for awhile, still tapping the arm of the couch. "Maybe she needed some time to figure some stuff out with Char before she revealed it to us."

"Maybe she was afraid." Jenn whispered.

Hermione and I were ordered to stay in the drawing room by mum, and forced to resolve our conflicts.

"I hate this." She muttered, thinking I couldn't hear her.

I sighed and sat back down on the couch, pacing wasn't doing me any good. However; Hermione was looking through the bookshelves that lined the walls and was enjoying picking one up at a time and flipping through the first few pages before placing it back in it's proper place.

"If we don't talk then mum will never let us out of here." I said finally.

Sighing, she replaced the book she was holding and walking over to the chair, sitting down and looking at me. "Then talk."

"I'm not the one who has to explain anything." I said feeling the anger again. "You're the one who ran off in the middle of the night and fall into bed with Harry Potter!"

"I ran here because I needed to get away from you! And I was talking to Harry and fell asleep next to him, nothing happened between us!" She shot back; I could tell she was getting aggravated.

"Well why did you leave Italy?" I asked as calmly as I could.

She glared at me, those coffee colored eyes darker then I've ever seen them. "That's none of your business."

"Actually, since I'm the one in charge of making sure you're safe, it is my business." I stood up to emphasize how serious I was.

She remained sitting. "As long as you don't tell your mum, and promise me you won't freak out or anything." I nodded and sat again. "Harry, Ron, and I were going to leave early tonight and do everything we needed to defeat Voldemort.

I flinched at the mention of _His_ name and kept my promise of not freaking out, although I could feel my neck turn bright red.

"We have to leave to be able to defeat Voldemort Charlie; it's just something that the three of us have to do." Hermione said in a small voice. "And I really hope you understand that.

It was then that I finally realized: I would do anything for this girl.

**A/N: And that's finally an update for you! Please let us now what you think!**


	20. Nothing in Life is Fair

Chapter 20

_Nothing in Life is Fair_

"Shit she just blew our cover," Ron half whispered half yelled, his ear pressed to the door.

"Shh let me hear," Harry whispered shoving Ron out of the way.

"Hey," Ron yelled appalled his butt landing on the floor. Harry paid no attention to Ron, as he shoved his ear against the door. "Oh no you don't." Ron pulled himself off the floor and hurled himself at Harry knocking him to the floor. Both of the boys rolled around the floor, as the commotion gathered more and more spectators.

Ginny stood at the top of the stairs shaking her head as she made her way down and around the rolling and into the kitchen. Fred and George were above taking bets on who would win and whether Hermione and Charlie would shag each other already.

"Hermione I don't want to lose you, please don't do something stupid," I pleaded as I paced the room.

Hermione sat on one of the couches head in her hands. "You think I want to do something stupid, I have to do this. It's up to us Charlie; us and only us." She sighed, and walked to the window, turning her face away from me. "You think I want to lose you either Charlie?"

I didn't know if I imagined it or not, but her voice was so soft that I didn't know if I heard her correctly.

A tear rolled down Hermione's face as she continued. "Every night I think about what's going to happen when I have to say goodbye to you. Every night I think about whether I'll see you again or if you'll forget me and move on."

After hearing this I moved across the room in less than 5 strides and turned Hermione to me. I looked her right in the eye. "I will never forget you." Then I crashed my lips into hers and my world exploded.

HARRY! RON! WHAT IN MERLINS NAME ARE YOU DOING?

Hermione and I pulled apart hearing my mum yell her lungs out. "Better check it out," I said, walking to the door. I pulled it open to find Harry and Ron wrestling on the floor, Fred and George each were chanting a boy's name, and mum was standing in the middle of it all fuming. I started laughing followed by Hermione right behind me.

Harry and Ron stopped fighting as everyone turned to the two of us laughing. "What's so funny?" Ron demanded from the floor, Harry's head in his arms.

"Ron," Hermione giggled trying to catch her breath, "your pants are gone."

"No they…shit" Ron discovered looking down. "FRED GEORGE!" Ron let go of Harry's head and raced up the stairs after a cackling pair of twins.

Mrs. Weasley shook her head at the boys as she walked towards Charlie and Hermione. "Now you two," she pointed, "Did you work everything out?

Hermione and I both nodded our heads in unison afraid of the older women. "Now there's someone to see the 4 of you in the kitchen."

"The four of us?" I asked perplexed.

"Yes, Hermione, you, Ron and Harry."

I continued to look confused. "Who is it?"

Scoffing, my mother shuffled all of us into the kitchen, to find Dumbledore sitting at the kitchen table drinking his morning coffee.

"Professor Dumbledore, what are you doing here?" I heard myself ask before I even realized what was coming out of my mouth.

"Why hello to you too Charlie," he smiled back.

Hermione elbowed me. "I mean it's a big surprise to see you again sir."

"Again?" Hermione whispered out of the side of her mouth to me.

"It's quite alright Charlie, but I would appreciate it if all of you would take a seat," he gestured.

Hermione, Ron, and Harry shared a quick look wondering if Dumbledore knew what they were doing.

"Now the reason why I came here is because I heard from a little bird that the three of you had some sort of adventure planned."

"We can explain sir," Harry started.

"It's not what it sounds like," Ron continued.

Hermione and I just sat there staring at the two boys fumbling over their words.

"Whatever it does or does not sound like, I still need to say some things." Both, Harry and Ron stopped their talking and Hermione and I glanced at each other, wondering what he had to say. "Now whatever it is you're planning," he started tipping his spectacle lower, "I agree with." I swear at that moment everyone stopped breathing. "Now I have no idea what everyone has planned nor do I wish too, but I have devised my own plan to help things along."

"What is that Professor," Hermione piped in.

"with the help of Charlie, I need to split the four of you up. One group will stay with me at Hogwarts and work with me on some plans I have. And the other group will be out in the field spying on certain situations for me."

I swallowed this information with a bad taste in my mouth, knowing that Dumbledore would probably split us up. "What are the groups?" I hesitantly asked.

"Charlie and Harry you will be with me at Hogwarts, and Ron and Hermione you will be doing some spy work for me." Hermione along with Harry and Ron looked shocked at the groups. I however was not surprised. "Now seeing as time is quickly running out, Hermione and Ron you will depart Grimmaulds place tonight so I need you to take today and pack your belongings and say your goodbyes."

"Goodbyes?" Hermione choked.

"Yes goodbyes Miss Granger, seeing as you will be gone for a month."

At this point I had to hold my composure. A month! A month in which I can't watch over her and make sure she's okay. A month of constantly worrying. Will things be different when she comes back? My mind began to race and before I knew it. Hermione and Ron had left and only Harry Dumbledore and I sat there.

"Charlie?"

"Why?" I heard myself ask.

"Why what?" Dumbledore smiled.

"Why are you taking her from me?"

"I'm not taking her from you Mr. Weasley, she chose this fate for herself. She chose to be a part of this situation were in."

I slammed my fists down on the table. "This isn't fair Dumbledore."

"Nothing in life is fair my boy."


	21. Good byes are Never Easy

**A/N: I know, I know, it's been a long time. But now Gina and I are now out of school for the summer so there's more time for writing! Enjoy.**

Chapter 21

"_This isn't fair Dumbledore."_

"_Nothing in life is fair my boy."_

I stormed out of the kitchen back into the drawing room Hermione and I had vacated moment before.

"Charlie!" I head Hermione call my name as she ran after me. No doubt Harry and Ron sat at the table speaking with a very calm Dumbledore about what they needed to do. "Charlie stop and talk to me please." She said almost out of breath as she closed the door quietly behind her.

"What is there to talk about?! He's making us stay away from each other!" I yelled motioning to the door. "It's not fair."

"I know it's not, and I wish that we could change it but we can't! We have to fight a war Charlie, and we have to make some sacrifices and if saving the entire wizarding world means being away from you for a few months then I'll be able to do it!" She yelled back at me. "It's going to be difficult, and I'm going to miss you, but we have to do this or else terrible things are going to happen and even you know that."

I did know that. Images of her being enslaved to death eaters if we failed had filled my mind. Night after night I had laid awake worrying about what might happen if the order didn't do the absolute best and if harry couldn't kill Voldemort. After she was done talking I looked at her, I could see how determined she was. After all, this is Hermione Granger, there's no way she would ever be someone's slave.

"You're right, I do know that." I walked over and brushed a piece of hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "If being apart means saving the world, then I guess I can deal with it." She smiled at me and stood on her tip toes to kiss me.

"Well, now that you've cooled off Charlie, can we get back to business?" We stopped and turned towards the door where the wizened man was standing. Hermione laced her fingers with mine and we followed him back to the basement kitchen. "As I said Charlie and Harry you will return to Hogwarts with me, and Hermione and Ron will depart for the Order's headquarters."

"Ah, Harry, I'll tell you where you will be at a later date." His twinkling blue eyes hid no meaning this time, everyone saw what he meant. Dumbledore didn't want Ron and Hermione to run to Harry's side like he knew they would. The Headmaster nodded to the four of us and we all got up and followed each other up the stairs into Ron and Harry's room.

I watched as my youngest brother sat on his bed which gave a groan, as Harry went over to the window and watched the stillness of the night, and as Hermione lightly set herself on the edge Harry's bed trying not to let the tears brimming in her eyes fall. Ron leaned forward and put his head in his hands and sighed. I looked at Hermione who silently pulled out her wand and flicked it packing all of Ron's things in a single bag undoubtedly using a lightening charm, and doing the same with Harry's belongings. The three bags sat in a row against the wall and all I could do was stare at them.

We all sat in the room for a good amount of time, none of us moving, until we heard a knock at the door. It opened and my mum walked in her eyes red from crying. "Are you all packed?" She choked out. The younger three nodded and as the boys stood to grab their things Hermione remained sitting. As the door closed behind a still silent Ron, I walked over and knelt in front of her resting my hands on her knees.

"I'm going to miss you, and I'm going to worry much more than I probably should." I said looking in her chocolate eyes. "But I know well enough that you can handle yourself if anything happens and that you will be safe." I leaned forward and kissed her noticing that her cheeks were wet with the tears she had been holding back. "So if there's one thing, and only one, that you could do for me: can you make sure Ron stays safe, out of trouble, and doesn't blow any cover you two have?" I asked smiling at the short laugh I got in return.

"Of course." She replied before kissing me and standing to get her bag. "I love you Charlie Weasley."

She walked out of the bedroom and down into the kitchen silently and took Harry's hand. His eyes were dark, but Hermione knew full well that they were also speaking to her. Telling her to be safe, and to do everything she could to stay that way. She nodded in response and headed for the fireplace, flooing her way to Grimmuald Place after Ron.

I walked down the cold stone steps watching as the last of the emerald green disappeared.

"Mr. Weasley, I have taken the liberty to pack a bag for you to bring to Hogwarts with you." Dumbledore motioned to the corner where a pack sat. "You will find all the possessions you had in Italy will be there, now if you will follow me to my office." He threw more powder into the fire and called for his office waiting for me to step in and appear there.

"Now," He started as he sat in his chair watching as Harry and I stood by the mantel. "There has been a common room and separate sleeping rooms arranged for you up near Professor McGonagall's office. It's the portrait of the woman with a sleeping baby in her arms and the password is fatum. I would enjoy it very much if you two could possibly help with some classes also. Charlie, I was thinking Care of Magical Creatures and Charms for you, and for Harry Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions."

We nodded knowing that the time tables for the classes would be brought to us as we ate breakfast.

"I think it would do you both some good if you got some sleep now." He smiled at us and we bid him good night and walked to our common room.

"He really knows how to make people feel welcome doesn't he?" Harry asked as we walked up a few steps into the lavish scarlet and gold room.

"Absolutely, which is why he's 'letting' us help with classes." I joked back. "I think I am going to get some sleep though, I'll see you in a few hours." I clapped him on the back as I walked past headed for a room.

"By the way Charlie," Harry called. "As her best friend I have a right to tell you: that if you hurt Mione in any way, I have no problem hurting you back." I smiled at him.

"I wouldn't count on it Harry, I'm not planning on hurting her anytime soon." He smiled back at me. "And if I do anything stupid like that, then I give you full permission to do your worst." He turned and headed for the other bedroom.

As I closed the door, I didn't take time to notice the white walls with a lion painted above the classic four poster bed, or how the double doors to the right opened up to a balcony. I set down my bag and collapsed into a night of tossing and turning instead, wondering where in the hell the crazy bat was sending two of the people I cared most about.


	22. Alone Again

**A/N: If my subscribers haven't noticed already I have a lot of down time right now and am taking that time to update all my stories. Since Gina and I have been out of touch since last year, I figure that shouldn't stop me from keeping this story going. So, here's a new chapter and I hope you all like it!**

Chapter 22: Alone Again

The next morning I woke up and remembered that I hadn't changed my clothes the night before. Kicking my boots off and wandering into the bathroom I got in the shower for a few moments letting the hot water relieve the tension in my shoulders.

After drying myself off I dug through my bag and found suitable clothes. Since I would be helping with care of magical creatures I didn't need to get dressed up so I pulled on a pair of loose jeans and a dirty grey tee-shirt as well as my boots and headed out of the room finding Harry sitting on the couch.

"Morning Charlie, I found these this morning. Here's yours." The boy handed me an envelope containing the classes I would be helping with as well as where my office would be." "Let's go get some breakfast, I'm starving." Harry said and we both walked out.

Folding the parchment and shoving it into my pocket the two of us walked into the Great Hall and found seats at the staff table. The room had grown quiet upon seeing us enter, and then the whispering started.

"Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, how good to see you both again." McGonagall said smiling. "I suppose this is one of Dumbeldore's schemes." We spooned all sorts of different kinds of food onto our plates and shoveled it all into our mouths.

"Good morning students," Dumbledore stood. "As you have already noticed we have two new staff members. Mr. Charlie Weasley who has spent many years in Romania training dragons, will be helping with the care of magical creatures and charms classes. And Mr. Harry Potter," Applaud erupted from the Gryffindor table as well as some from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. "Who will be assisting in defense against the dark arts and potions." Snape's eyes almost popped out of his skull at that.

The Headmaster sat down and enjoyed the rest of his breakfast, as Snape bent the spoon he had been using to eat his oatmeal. Everyone else started talking again, some excitedly and others angrily.

The end of breakfast every girl that wasn't in Slytherin had walked by and waved at Harry, one or two at me, but mostly at Harry and by the hundredth wave and shook my head and stood.

"I'm off to class mate, see you at lunch." I patted his shoulder and walked straight out of the castle towards Hagrid's hut. "Good morning," I said taking the half-giant's hand. "How've you been?" After some small talk the first class showed up.

"Good morning students," Hagrid said smiling. "As you heard Dumbledore tell yeh, this is Charlie Weasley and he's goin' to help out a bit. Any questions for him?" One kid raised his hand.

"Do you really train dragon's?" The rest of the class looked at me excitedly.

"Yeah, I've lived in Romania for almost ten years on a dragon reservation where we train them and keep them alive basically."

A girl raised her hand. "Do you have a girlfriend?" She asked batting her eyelashes.

Thinking of what Hermione would do had she been there I laughed. "You could say I have something like that." I turned to Hagrid and winked mouthing 'Hermione'. The man's jaw dropped. "Anyway, from what Hagrid's been telling me you lot have just started learning about a demiguise."

The rest of the day went on as I taught about magical creatures to students who constantly wanted to just ask me about dragons. Which was fine for the seventh years that were actually learning about them. By lunch time I was starving, my stomach making greedy noises whenever it could and as the last class I was with left I was right behind them hands shoved in my pockets ready for some good Hogwarts food.

When I got to the staff table Harry was already there as well. "Hungry?" I asked sitting next to him, he nodded and smiled chewing the big bite of roast he had just taken. "How were classes?" I asked cutting into my own piece of meat.

"Fine, Slytherin's still hate me and Snape made me sit in the back of the room." We laughed. "How about yours?"

"Fine, everyone wanted to talk about dragons though, someone even asked me if I had a girlfriend." I grabbed my goblet of water as Harry stared at me waiting to see what I had told her. "I didn't say no, but I didn't say yes either because Hermione and I are not official. I didn't really get the chance to ask her."

Harry nodded. "And what about after it's all over?"

"I'd ask her on a date and try to get things going the right way first." In that moment I wish a million things and all of them had something to do with holding my little brother's best friend in my arms.

The students started filtering out of the Great Hall and Harry and I followed suit each going to the other classes we were going to help with.

Walking into the charms room Professor Flitwick clapped his hands, "Oh, Mr. Weasley how delightful to see you again!" He said shaking my hand as I got closer. "I must say that you and your brother Bill always had a knack for charms, Fred and George had their moments, and I do believe that you sister was one of my best students since you left!" The little man kept talking until all the students were in the classroom. "Students, you all remember Charlie Weasley from the Headmaster's speech this morning."

I looked around the room noticing that it was filled with green and red and sighed. This was going to be difficult.

"Do you really train dragons?" One student asked leaning forward.

I nodded, "That's right." Everyone started talking.

"What are they like?" One girl asked me. "Have you ever been bitten?" Another yelled.

"Calm down now, Mr. Weasley will take the time to answer all your questions in an orderly fashion if you just raise your hand!" Flitwick said and eventually everyone got quiet and did raise their hands.

I was supposed to be teaching a charms class, and instead I was talking about dragons.

Later that night, I sat in my room staring at the ceiling. I thought of writing Hermione a letter, but didn't know where to send it.

_I could ask Dumbledore to send it for me! He knows where they are._ Jumping off the bed I ran over to my desk and grabbed a spare piece of parchment.

_Dear Hermione,_

_We've only been apart for one day and I already miss you. I don't know where you are or even if you're safe, but something tells me that you're keeping my baby brother out of trouble so far. Hogwarts is the same since we were here, everyone (except for the Slytherins obviously) gave Harry a standing ovation when we were introduced at breakfast this morning. Now everyone is trying to ask us questions, every single student I had today asked me about dragons and I can't imagine what they were asking Harry. Apparently Snape is making him sit in the back of the room and not talk during class even though he's supposed to help him teach. I've been out of here for years and I still don't like that man. _

_I should probably make this short, and I hope that you're staying safe as well as dry and warm. Please write back if you can._

_Love,_

_Charlie_


	23. The Dinner

Chapter 23: The Dinner

Going to breakfast the next morning, Hermione's letter in my pocket I realized how much I missed being in school. Walking through the corridors, playing quidditch, and pulling pranks with Bill. Walking into the Great Hall and up to the Head table, I popped my head next to Dumbledore.

"Hey Professor, I was just wondering if you could deliver a letter for me?"

That twinkle in his eye appeared as he turned to look at me. "A letter for Miss Granger I assume?" I nodded. "I'll make sure it gets to her." Handing him the parchment I took a seat next to Harry.

"How are you today Char?" He asked me his mouth full of eggs.

I shrugged not knowing how else to express myself. I missed Hermione and wanted to see her again, but that probably wasn't going to be for a long time. Harry just nodded, he of all people knew how I felt and I appreciated the fact that he wasn't going to try and give me advice that sounded good but wasn't really going to do anything for me.

The rest of the day was a blur, classes flew by and students filtered in and out. By dinner I wasn't hungry and all I wanted to do was get away for a little bit, the only way I could think of was by flying. I found a spare in the broom closet and made my way to the quidditch pitch, making sure there wasn't a team practicing I mounted the broom and soared up high. The cold air was refreshing and the wind numbed my face making the dismount hours later feel warm and lively.

The next few months went by exactly the same. Hermione and I had been writing back and forth but she hadn't been able to tell me where she was or when she would be home. It made the upcoming holidays seem worthless, how could I celebrate with my family when we were missing people at the table?

I watched as the leaves changed colors and the students could be seen by their breath. The warm sweaters mum sent kept me and Harry happy and excited to see the rest of the family for the big Christmas dinner at the Burrow. Eventually the snow started falling and blanketed the grounds, all of the classes Hagrid and I taught would be in an enlarged classroom so no one had to trudge through the snow to get to us, we kept the classes interesting and fun for everyone since the holiday fever started burning through them like wild fire.

"Are ye' excited to see yer mum Charlie?" Hagrid asked me one morning while setting up for an activity.

"Yeah I am, I miss her cooking." We laughed. "I'm excited to see the rest of my family too."

"Hoping Hermione and Ron will show up?" I nodded noticing a few students filtering into the room.

It was only a couple more weeks until we left for Christmas break, mum had already owled me making sure I would be staying at the Burrow. She said that Ginny was thrilled that she would be able to see me and the twins were happy they could show off some of their new merchandise.

"Well Harry, are you ready to face my family again?" I asked as we marched down to Hogsmeade with the students, our trunks already at the Burrow.

"Like you even have to ask Char, you know I love spending time with them." He responded smiling.

"Yeah, especially my sister." I pushed him and laughed at the on and off again relationship they had.

Arriving in Hogsmeade we apparated to the outer boundary of the house and started walking through the field and past the gate.

"Mum, we're here." The woman all but attacked me as I opened the kitchen door.

"Oh, my boys! It's so good to see you! Are you hungry?" She let go of me and grabbed onto Harry in the same fashion.

"I think we're fine until dinner," I responded laughing. "Is Gin upstairs?" She nodded to me and started fixing Harry's hair talking about trimming it for him.

I made my way up the stairs smiling at the nostalgia. Ginny's door was open and she was lying on her bed reading, not noticing I was there she chewed on her thumb nail.

"I like the hair cut," She jumped at the sound of my voice. "Did you let mum do it for you?"

"Charlie!" She ran to the doorway and wrapped her arms around my neck. "I let my friend Melissa do it, you really think it looks good?"

She had cut several inches off her hair so it hung just above her shoulders. "It makes you look older, I'm sure you've been told that though."

For the next hour I stayed up in her room catching up on what I had missed in her life after school. Harry finally showed up in the doorway a smile on his face.

"You're mum wants you Charlie," The green eyes of his twinkling mischievously.

I left the love birds alone and strolled down the steps, when I turned into the living room I stopped in my tracks. Sitting on the couch was the girl of my dreams; looking worn and ragged she was as beautiful as I remembered her.

"Surprise." I ran across the room and wrapped her small frame in my arms, holding her close I took in her smell. Her thick hair had grown since I saw her last and looked like it hadn't been taken care of very well, as expected on a mission that caused you to travel a lot like she had said in the letters.

"I missed you so much." She whispered into my chest.

"I missed you too," Leaning down to kiss her I finally saw how thin she had actually become. The tee-shirt she was wearing was so loose is engulfed her body. "I bet mum is making more food just from seeing you." I joked kissing her again.

"You should see Ron," Grabbing my hand she led me into the kitchen where I saw my youngest brother. He had always been the thinnest out of all the kids but he had lost more weight than Hermione. "I guess those seven meals a day really did keep him alive." The joke from Hermione broke the ice and I walked over to my brother and hugged him.

"I'm glad you're both safe." I said letting him go after a moment.

Ron smiled at me. "I promised Dumbledore I would take care of Hermione, I kept my word."

"How many times did she take care of you?" I patted Ron on the back and sat down at the table.

Ginny and Harry joined us in the kitchen not long after my dad got home from work. Mum was beaming from being able to cook for a small army again and being able to see most of her children safe and alive.

After dinner we all made our way to the living room and sat listening to each other's stories. We sat for hours talking with each other and listening to where Ron and Hermione had been sent to on Dumbledore's orders.

By the time the fire started burning out we all retreated to bed. Hermione slipped into my room after my parents had fallen asleep and crawled in next to me, laying her head on my chest.

"I love you Hermione." I said kissing her forehead just before she fell asleep.

**A/N: This chapter has taken me forever to write and I apologize. At least you have a new chapter to read and hopefully enjoy!**


	24. The Beautiful Day

Chapter 24: The Beautiful Day

When I woke up the next morning my bed was empty, Hermione had snuck out while I was still asleep. She really was intelligent because even though she was helping save the world my mother would never forgive us if she knew we had spent the night together in her house.

Setting my feet on the cold hardwood floor I pulled a Weasley sweater over my head and pulled some ragged jeans on as well as some thick socks. The upstairs was always generally cold but the family room and kitchen had always been the warmest parts of the house.

"Morning Charlie," Everyone chorused as I sat down next to Hermione in the kitchen, most of my siblings had woken up and mum was cooking breakfast for everyone.

"Good thinking," I whispered to the brunette who winked back at me.

Mum turned around to us smiling, "Alright, these are made special for Hermione and Ron since they've lost so much weight." She sat the plates in front of the kids and then got the rest of her children food.

"Nutrition potion probably," I told the pair who nodded understandingly. My mum hated when people came into her house too thin and loved when they left fat. Even when I worked on the reserve and packed on pounds of muscle she thought I had lost weight and literally shoved food on my plate.

While all of us cleaned our plates off there was some chatting between us, finally Ginny came up with a great idea.

"Why don't we play a game of quidditch?" She asked, waving her fork around. "It's a beautiful day out and there are better wards around the house so there won't be a repeat of the last time."

The room went quiet. We had all tried to forget about that day for a long time, but Ginny was right. "Yeah, I'm in." Harry, Ron, and the twins all agreed to play as well, Hermione would sit outside with us and watch.

Changing into dirty clothes and grabbing our brooms, the Weasley clan ran outside giddy and almost as happy as could be. Hermione followed behind us a book in her hand.

"Alright! Me, Ginny, and Ron against Harry and the twins." I announced, divvying up the crew.

"That's not fair!" Fred yelled.

"You've got Ginny!" His twin finishing the argument.

I laughed at them, "We've also got Ron, now let's play." Shooting up in the air on my broom I smiled. I hadn't been on a broom in ages. Looking back to the ground I saw Hermione lying on a small blanket in nothing but a bikini, her phoenix tattoo almost glimmering in the sunlight.

"Well Charlie, looks like your girlfriend is a lot hotter than we expected." George yelled to me across the pitch. "Didn't know she had that tattoo either, nice." My brothers knew the only way to have me play a great quidditch game was if I was angry. And they had found the right button to push.

"Her Hermione," She looked up to see Bill standing over her. "Aren't you worried mum is going to lecture you about your state of undress?" The oldest Wesley sat on the ground his eyes opening wide. "And that tat on your side?"

The brunette laughed at Bill's face. "The 'state of undress' no, the tattoo probably. Your mum let's me sun bathe every summer, I sneak out by the lake and get a great tan to take back to school with me."

"I'm sure you enjoy the sun in Romania then?" Bill teased, winking at her.

"I never really had the time to lay out while I was there. Not to mention there were too many pervy men who hadn't gotten laid in awhile." Scrunching up her nose she remembered being whistled at on more than one occasion.

The sounds of brooms landing caused Bill to turn around towards his siblings. "Why hello there," Casually he stood up.

"BILL!" Ginny ran at him almost knocking the man off his feet in the process. "When did you get here?"

He shrugged. "Not too long ago, just thought I'd stop by and see how my favorite family was doing." There were more handshakes with the boys and a knowing wink at Charlie. "Not to mention I got to rag on Hermione about her art for a little while."

It was then that Harry and Ron noticed the phoenix on their best friend. "BLOODY HELL!" They yelled in unison, causing the twins to glare.

"That's our gimmick!"

Ron ran over towards the girl who was still on the ground. "First of all, why are you in nothing but knickers? Second, when the hell did you get that thing inked on you?"

Hermione rolled her eyes in my direction. "I'm getting a tan Ronald, it's what girls do." Ginny giggled as her friend stood and everyone noticed her flat stomach, the boys paying particular attention to the area above as well. "As far as my tattoo I got it the August before my sixteenth birthday, remember when I didn't want anyone to touch me at the beginning of our sixth year?"

Suddenly everyone knew when it had happened. Molly had hugged the girl senseless a few days after she had gotten the tattoo at Platform 9 ¾ and had put Hermione in so much paid she cried.

"Why didn't you tell us about it?" Harry was shocked that his friend would do something like that.

"Well, Ginny knew because she had to help me put the cream on it, but I _knew_ that Ron would make a big fuss so I just kept it to myself." She shrugged. "The only other time I told someone about it was when Charlie showed up and showed us his."

The group was silent for a moment. "Do your parents know?" Bill had become more than a big brother to Hermione and Harry; he was like their father figure in a way.

"Yes they know, my mom came with me to get it done actually." Picking up the shirt and shorts that lay discarded on the ground, Hermione started to get dressed again much to the chagrin of my younger brothers.

We all started walking back into the house, Hermione and I bringing up the rear. "You never told me you had such a great body." I winked before walking upstairs to take a shower. I was fairly certain it would be a cold one.

**A/N: Who knew Hermione was a sexpot? All the boys like her now. Hope you enjoyed and don't forget to review!**


	25. The Final Battle

Chapter 25: The Final Battle

Over the next few days we all found something to keep us occupied. Not being allowed to leave the house was driving us all bonkers and endless games of quidditch, exploding snap, and chess weren't going to quell the anxious energy we all had no matter how hard we tried.

The boredom would cease eventually though, when we all died from it.

A few days before Harry and I were due back to Hogwarts dad burst through the door.

"Charlie, you need to floo Bill. We need all the help we can get." He was gasping for air.

"Dad, calm down, tell us what's wrong." I looked to Ron who nodded and stuck his head in the green flames to call Bill.

"Ministry has been taken over, their next stop is Hogwarts." The one sentence could not have hurt us all more. "There's no way you can go back there. There are too many death eaters within the school and I won't send my family off to be killed."

Without another thought Bill was stepping out of the fire and into the living room. "It's true then?" He asked quietly, knowing the rest of us couldn't speak.

"I'm afraid so Mr. Weasley." Professor Dumbledore walked into the living room his features looking worn and ancient. "Hogwarts is no longer as safe as it once was, but I am going to need those in the order to help fight and restore it to its original state." Everyone nodded, knowing what they had to do. "Charlie, Harry you will have to report back to your duties so as to not seem suspicious. I know Arthur does not want anything to happen to you but I am fairly certain you can take care if anything happens. Also, you will both walk around the halls with someone else at all times. Especially you, Harry." The twinkling blue eyes caught with Harry's and Dumbledor silently gave the boy instructions, thoughts no one else would understand. "For the rest of you, I have a special assignment…"

Dinner that night was tense at best. Mum had heard about everything and almost fainted. Every so often she would start silently crying, knowing that it was almost time to face her fears. Her children would all be fighting in a war she had hoped to keep us out of, a war that consumed us and ate away at our very souls.

When Harry and I apparated back to Hogsmeade station at high noon a few days before classes started again there wasn't much to be said, the ominous feeling that Hogwarts now emanated was making us both depressed. We were both worried about what was going to happen, and I missed Hermione.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

"They have no idea we're going to be right under their noses, do they?" Ron asked after Harry and I left. Hermione simply shook her head; the fact that she and I would be so close and not be able to talk to hold each other was killing her. "So basically we just have to keep out of sight and out of reach until something happens, holed up in that room possibly all year?" He went on, obviously dreading the assignment.

"At least we can make the room do whatever we want. It's not like we can't have comfortable beds or something." Hermione was always the optimist trying to make Ron see the bright side of things. "And we'll know if someone is trying to get into the castle." She held up the seemingly blank parchment that Dumbledore had given them before he left. It was Harry's map, but both men knew Hermione and Ron would need it more.

The day Ginny went back to school Hermione and Ron apparated to an alley in Hogsmeade Village. With hats covering their well-known hair and Hermione wearing sun glasses, the pair made their way to the Hogs Head Tavern, a place they had been to before.

"You guys ready?" Aberforth asked as they approached him. As a Dumbledore he knew that he had to fight for what was right, and helping these kids get through was the best thing he could do to help. When the kids nodded he took them upstairs in the flat above the tavern and led them over to a portrait of a beautiful young blonde girl. "She'll take you through to the room. Good luck." He added as they left.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

A week passed and I still didn't know what was going to happen. It was true that more death eaters had come to Hogwarts in the form of assistants and various other positions on the staff. I was worried about Harry, the new comers had seemed to be watching and following him more than anyone else and it was a scary thing. He tried not to show but we all knew how he felt.

I was very worried about Hermione and Ron though, I didn't know here they were or what they were up to but I could feel that Hermione was thinking about me. It almost seemed as though she was there with me.

Then it happened.

In the middle of the week, the students had started rioting in the Entrance Hall after dinner and while the staff had tried to calm them down the death eater staff was simply beating and yelling at them. Harry and I were ordered to get back to our rooms but we never got that far, because suddenly there were more death eaters apparating in, the silver masks covering their faces.

I gasped knowing full well what this meant. Glancing out into the courtyard I saw the green glow of the dark mark over the school.

"Are you ready Harry?" I asked pulling my wand out. The boy nodded. "Then let's go." We ran towards the group firing spells as we went. When the death eaters noticed that Harry was fighting their attention was all on him which gave the other students and teachers opportunities to hit them in the back with their spells.

McGonagall took it upon herself to get the younger students away from the mess and had sent them up to the room of requirement.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

Hermione and Ron were going crazy from being holed up in the room for days. Ron, pacing back and forth across the room and Hermione playing with the marauders map gazing over a few places in the school.

"Ron, come look at this." Her voice was shaking with some sort of emotion he couldn't place but she said the words calmly. "It looks like a bunch of students running…..here." She finished the sentence as McGonagall burst into the room.

"It's time." She said simply making sure all the students she brought had made it into the room. "Creevey, you're in charge here now. I'm sure you know the room transforms into whatever you ask for, I would go for a big camp like room for students to come to if they're hurt. Weasley and Granger you have to come with me."

Running down the hall way the three made sure to fire spells at any figure cloaked in black that they could. "Somehow the anti apparation wards were taken down and the death eaters all apparated into the entrance hall. We tried to get Harry to leave but obviously he wouldn't."

This made the younger two run faster and as the turned a corner they saw finally all the enemies that had congregated and were fighting.

Hermione saw flashed of red hair and knowing that each was a Weasley she was worried that she couldn't find Charlie, or Harry's raven hair in the crowd.

"HARRY POTTER," a voice that could only have been Voldemort's came booming through the castle. Everyone stopped. "THE TIME HAS COME FOR YOU TO DIE. COME QUIETLY OR I WILL TAKE YOUR FRIENDS AND KILL THEM, ONE BY ONE IN FRONT OF YOU." Ron was enraged but all color had drained from his face. He and Hermione were obviously the first targets, as well as the rest of the Weasley family.

"That son of a bitch," Ron seethed as the pair slowly walked towards the group.

Hermione started mumbling incantations and spells, petrifying a few death eaters before the rest caught on to what was happening and started fighting again. She would run over and take the plank like men's wands and snap them in half before stunning them again. It seemed to be her thing; she would disarm them and break the victim's wand before hitting them with a spell.

Unfortunately, it only made them angrier.

After another hour of fighting, which had made its way onto the grounds there were bodies strewn everywhere. Anyone who could keep out of the line of fire would levitate bodies into the great hall where Madam Pompfry and mediwitches from St. Mungo's were helping those who needed it. There was a separate section for those who had not, or would not live. Everyone who was fighting had pushed the death eaters farther onto the grounds to keep them away from the castle.

Finally Hermione found Harry and me, running over she grabbed him in a big hug.

"Harry we were so worried!" The boy hugged her back just as fiercely.

"I'm alright Mione, but right now you have to let go of me." The Boy Who Lived laughed at his best friend and wiped away a single tear of hers.

I smiled at the girl who ran over to me. "I'm so glad you're ok." Scooping her up into a big hug we held onto each other for the next few moments. "You are ok, aren't you?" I checked to make sure she hadn't lost any more weight and that she wasn't hurt in any way.

"I'm fine Charlie," She laughed before kissing me soundly on the lips. "I've been fine. I'll have to tell you the story when this is all over." We turned again when the voice of Voldemort sounded across the school again.

"HARRY POTTER, YOU HAVE FOUGHT TONIGHT FOR NOTHING. YOU WILL DIE TONIGHT AND NOTHING WILL STOP ME." Harry's lips were set in a line, not wanting to show any emotion. "GATHER YOUR WOUNDED AND MEET IN THE FORBIDDEN FOREST IN ONE HOUR. " With that the death eaters ran off towards the forest leaving us to get people back into the castle and get them help.

Harry pulled me aside and handed me a piece of parchment. "Give this to Ginny if I don't make it." I nodded and stuffed the note in my pocket. "And I know you and Hermione love each other so I want to say this now before anything else happens: if you hurt her in anyway, I will come back and make your life miserable."

I laughed and pulled the boy into a hug. "I promise to take care of her Harry; I won't let anything happen to her." He nodded and slipped out of the castle towards the forest. Making my way back into the great hall I hugged my mother and made sure my family was all safe, including Percy who had showed up apologizing for being a gigantic prat.

"YOUR SAVIOR IS DEAD." Everyone stopped; the feeling of the world crashing down hit everyone in the room. I wrapped my arms around Hermione and Ginny knowing they would both be devastated. "I HAVE KILLED HARRY POTTER. IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, COME SEE FOR YOURSELF." Everyone ran back out to the grounds and halted seeing Hagrid crying over the body of the boy he had befriended.

The shouts of protest drowned out everything else and I stood there in shock. Harry couldn't have been dead.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Out of nowhere Neville Longbottom ran towards the group of death eaters with a sword and cut the head off the giant pet snake.

In a split second everything changed.

Harry jumped out of Hagrids arms and pointed his wand at Voldemort. "You had to have known this wasn't over." The look on the snake man's face was full of fury as the pair started dueling again making their way into the great hall. Everyone formed a circle around the pair knowing that this was something not to be missed. And then it happened.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Harry yelled, and Voldemort fell.

"NOOO!" Bellatrix ran out to Harry her wand in front of her, but Hermione and Ginny stopped her. The girls were throwing hexes and trying to disarm the crazy woman when finally Ginny lost her wand and Hermione's arm was bleeding, Bellatrix still thought she was going to kill them.

"NOT MY DAUGHTERS, YOU BITCH!" I chuckled a bit as my mother stood in front of the girls and killed Bellatrix.

And the war was over. Harry had killed Voldemort and stared down all of his followers before they disapparated from Hogwarts leaving the Order and the rest of our friends standing to congratulate him.

I ran over to Hermione and picked her up off the floor, not even paying attention to her bleeding arm I hugged her tightly. "I love you Hermione Granger."

"I love you Charlie Weasley." She said before kissing me.

**A/N: That was the longest chapter I've written for any of my stories. But I had to do it this way, so enjoy! Epilogue is coming next. **


	26. Epilogue

Epilogue

I walked into my house in Romania, I had been promoted to head trainer since the war ended four years ago and it was bigger than my previous homes. Not to mention I wasn't living alone anymore.

Hermione was sitting on the couch reading a book and looked up as I walked in. "How was your day?" She asked as I kissed her.

"Fine, we have a bunch of new trainers coming in over the next few months so we have to get them up to speed on what kind of spells we use around here as well as what kind of temperament each dragon has."

We walked into the kitchen when our dinner was busy making itself, thanks to my mum teaching Hermione a handful of household spells that would be useful after a difficult day.

"How are the eggs doing?" I asked sitting on the counter. Hermione had started working at the hatchery not long after she returned to Romania with me and seemed to really enjoy it.

"They're fine, we had a Horntail egg almost roll himself out of the incubator earlier but someone stopped him before it got to be a big ordeal." Suddenly I heard a knock from the front door. "I invited Jenn and Andy over for dinner tonight," Not even turning to look at my confused facial expression.

_This woman knows me so well_.

"Charlie!" Jenn hugged me as I opened the door. "And here I thought we had been invited over and no one was going to let us in." I laughed as the couple walked inside.

"Jenn you look huge!" Hermione yelled to her friend as they greeted each other. "How far along are you now?"

Jenn and Andy had gotten married not long after the war and were expecting their second child, something they had wanted for a long time.

"I'm thirty weeks, so it's almost done growing in there." The woman fondly stroked her protruding mid section and sat at the kitchen table. "We've thought of names too."

Hermione smiled, "And they are?"

"If it's a boy: Jacob Charles, and if it's a girl: Annabelle Mia." Jenn and Andy smiled at Hermione and I. "After all, our child has to be named after it's godparents."

I hugged Andy as Hermione hugged Jenn. I had always wanted a few children and since I hadn't started a family of my own being able to spoil my best friends kid would have to be the next best thing.

Dinner was a talkative affair as we all shared stories from the work day. I told everyone how excited I was for a few of my brother to come visit me the week after. Hermione sat next to me smiling and adding only a little to the conversation, her quiet demeanor was worrying me but I didn't know exactly what was causing it.

"Are you alright, love?" I asked as we carried the dirty dishes back into the kitchen and rinsed them off.

Nodding Hermione tried her best to smile. "I'm fine, just a little tired." I knew her well enough to let it go, but I was still worried that something was wrong.

The next few hours were spent hanging out with Jenn and Andy in the living room laughing at things the new trainers were doing and knowing that we had made the same mistakes way back when.

"Alright, well I think we better get going. Get the pregnant one to bed." Andy joked helping his wife off our couch. "Thanks for dinner Hermione," the pair waved as they walked out and Hermione sighed, crossing her arms over her stomach.

I walked back into the kitchen to finish washing the dishes and when I went upstairs to get ready for bed I found Hermione sitting on the bed looking through a photo album.

"Our wedding album," I said sitting next to her and wrapping my arms around her waist. The picture she was looking at was on her holding Harry and Ginny's baby, James in her wedding dress. "Rethinking our marriage already?" I joked kissing her cheek.

My wife laughed lightly before closing the book and setting it back on the bedside table. "Remember when we got married and we talked about how many kids we wanted to have?"

I nodded. "We decided on three." I couldn't forget that conversation. Hermione, being an only child wanted more than one kid, and me being the second oldest of seven wanted less than I had. "What brought this up? Was it Jenn being super pregnant?"

She shook her head, smiling again. "No, I just wanted to see if you remembered." She stood in front of me and held my hands. "Mainly because I'm pregnant."

I jumped off the bed and grabbed her in a tight hug. "Are you sure?"

"I went to go see the mediwitch today and she confirmed it, I asked her not to tell you." The tears of joy running down Hermione's face could have only made me love her more. "It's a girl."

I was as happy as I could have ever been. I was having a little girl with the woman I loved.

"We're going to have to tell my parents at some point." I noted making my wife sigh a bit. "I know, but she's been pushing me to have your kid for so long I think finally she'll let us rest for awhile. Not that I'm complaining about the sex." We both laughed.

"I love you Hermione Weasley." I ran my calloused thumb down her jaw line as my other hand ran across her stomach.

"I love you Charlie Weasley."

**A/N: The End! I really hope you enjoyed the story and I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has added it to their favorites, alerts, or to anyone who has ever reviewed. You guys pretty much kept me writing this story, so thank you.**


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